The Taegeuk Warriors have endured an underwhelming campaign in Qatar as they sit level on one point with rock-bottom Uruguay after picking up one point from their opening two outings.
While Paulo Bento's men need nothing less than a win to keep their hopes of a first last-16 appearance since 2010, Portugal head into the weekend looking to become the first side to enjoy a perfect group-stage run after winning their first two games.
Ahead of Friday's meeting between South Korea and Portugal, Sports Mole takes a look at how the squads of both nations stack up against each other.
SOUTH KOREA
Most valuable player:
Heung-min Son (£60.4m)
Overall squad value:
£142.4m
Most capped player:
Heung-min Son (106)
Leading goalscorer:
Heung-min Son (35)
Total caps:
951
Total goals:
115
Oldest player:
Kim Tae-hwan (33)
Youngest player:
Lee Kang-in (21)
Average age:
27.8
SQUAD IN FULL
Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (Al-Shabab), Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan Hyundai), Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
Defenders: Kim Jin-su (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Hong Chul (Daegu FC), Kim Moon-hwan (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Kim Young-gwon (Ulsan Hyundai), Kwon Kyung-won (Gamba Osaka), Kim Tae-hwan (Ulsan Hyundai), Cho Yu-min (Daejon Hana Citizen), Kim Min-jae (Napoli), Yoon Jong-gyu (FC Seoul)
Midfielders: Jung Woo-young (Al-Sadd), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Hwang In-beom (Olympiacos), Na Sang-ho (FC Seoul), Paik Seung-ho (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Kwon Chang-hoon (Gimcheon Sangmu), Paik Seung-ho (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Son Jun-ho (Shandong Taishan), Jeong Woo-yeong (Freiburg), Lee Kang-in (Mallorca), Yang Hyun-jun (Gangwon FC)
Forwards: Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Hwang Ui-jo (Olympiacos), Cho Gue-sung (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves)
PORTUGAL
Most valuable player:
Rafael Leao (£73.5m)
Overall squad value:
£810.2
Most capped player:
Cristiano Ronaldo (193)
Leading goalscorer:
Cristiano Ronaldo (118)
Total caps:
1,100
Total goals:
201
Oldest player:
Pepe (39)
Youngest player:
Antonio Silva (19)
Average age:
26.8
SQUAD IN FULL
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC), Rui Patricio (Roma)
Defenders: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City), Danilo Pereira (Paris Saint-Germain), Pepe (Porto), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Antonio Silva (Benfica), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)
Midfielders: Joao Palhinha (Fulham), Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Joao Mario (Benfica), Matheus Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), William Carvalho (Real Betis), Otavio (Porto)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid), Rafael Leao (AC Milan), Ricardo Horta (Braga), Goncalo Ramos (Benfica), Andre Silva (RB Leipzig)
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