Tokyo: Listening to the ROK fans cheering “Dae-Han-Min-Guk” (Republic of Korea) after their World Cup match against Germany last Tuesday evening and watching images of fireworks lighting up the Seoul skyline, it was hard to realize that the ROK team had lost its semi-final match. But perhaps the Red Devil fans got it right; in many respects, South Korea has emerged as the big winner in this first ever Asia-based World Cup. The ROK together with its co-host Japan, have put Asia on the map, not only as serious international soccer contenders, but as world-class hosts.