This article is part of the Guardian's World Cup 2014 Experts' Network, a co-operation between 32 of the best media organisations from the countries who have qualified for the finals in Brazil. theguardian.com is running previews from four countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 12 June.

When Hong Myung-bo became the coach of South Korea last July after the team struggled through qualification under Choi Kang-hee, he announced that it was time to return the team to its 'Korean' core values: a counter-attacking game played at serious pace with fast wide men getting behind opposing defences and a team putting pressure on the opposition. This was opposed to the robust long-ball tactics that dominated under his predecessor, one that never really seemed to suit a team full of technically-minded players.

For Hong, 4-2-3-1 was the key against Greece in a recent friendly win and has been for most of his reign, though he has suggested some flexibility. Other formations such as 4-4-2 have been dabbled with but not very successfully, especially in a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Mexico in January (albeit with a very experimental line-up).

The charismatic 45-year-old, who led the under-20 team to the last eight at the 2009 World Cup and then took the under-23 side to a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics, has been going Dutch for years. During his playing days and 136 caps for South Korea, he was Guus Hiddink's captain in the astonishing run to the World Cup semi-finals on home soil in 2002 (and his assistant for six months at Anzhi Machachakala in 2013) and got his first taste of coaching as part of Dick Advocaat's staff for the 2006 World Cup, before becoming the second assistant to Pim Verbeek for the 2007 Asian Cup. Verbeek believes that some Oranje has rubbed off on the former defender.

"When I saw Korea at the Olympics 2012 I saw parts of the match that looked very much the way the Dutch like to play," Verbeek, who also took Australia to the 2010 World Cup, told the Guardian. "There was building up from the back, high pressure when losing the ball, possession and patience. This in combination with the outstanding physical abilities of Korean players makes Hong's team very difficult to beat."

What Hong found upon taking the job last July was that Korea was richer in some areas than others. Full-backs are an issue. This position has traditionally been quite a strong one for the country that has produced competent players who can play on either side and in either half. There are still lots of decent full-backs but none yet of the top-notch variety. Hong has introduced two new faces, Kim Jin-su on the left and Lee Yong on the right, although the former is no injured. This can leave the centre-backs exposed, even more so as one of the two midfielders immediately ahead of them is Ki Sung-yeung, a player who doesn't always take defensive duties too seriously.

Defence overall is an issue and Korea conceded more goals from set pieces in qualification than all but one other nation. It almost cost the team a place in Brazil. Unfortunately, while the two centre-backs are improving as a unit and both Hong Jeong-ho and Kim Young-kwon like to play out from the back (though Kim, a potential Manchester United player according to his club coach at Guangzhou Evergrande, Marcello Lippi, is a little gaffe-prone). The goalkeeping position is also a problem and there has been a palpable air of nervousness around the backline for some time and the lack of a leader and organiser does not help. If anyone can solve the problem then it is surely the man who is generally held to be the greatest centre-back that Asia has ever produced? That remains to be seen.

Ki Sung-yeung plays deeper for country than when impressing for the early and middle parts of the season for Sunderland. While this limits his offensive capabilities, it does mean that he is always available as an outlet for the defence and as he rarely gives the ball away, Korea are starting to look more comfortable in possession in their own half. Just who partners Ki in the midfield to play the holding role is another question that has not been completely answered. Han Kook-young and Park Jung-woo will have to sort it out between themselves – neither has really made the position their own.

Where Korea look good is in the attacking trio that play behind the lone striker. Lee Chung-yong, the country's most skilful player, is on the right and it looks likely that Bayer Leverkusen's Son Heung-min will be on the opposite side. Both are quick, and while Lee is more of a provider and looks to be get behind the defence to wreak havoc, Son likes to sprint from deep and shoot from the edge of the area. This could be a big tournament for the talented 21-year-old.

Who plays centrally is slightly tougher to predict. It could be the 2012 Asian Player of the Year, Lee Keun-ho, or Cardiff City's Kim Bo-kyoung (both can play wide as well) and there is another option of Ji Dong-won who can also play pretty much anywhere in the attack. Koo Ja-cheol is the favourite however. The combative but skilful captain of the 2012 bronze-medal winning side should play, but lacks a clear role in the team. Too attack-minded to play alongside Ki, the Mainz man may lack the creativity needed for the No10 role.

The main striker is set to be Park Chu-young, despite the fact he has barely played for Arsenal in the past three years, though there was a loan spell with Celta Vigo in the 2012-13 season. There just aren't many other options. Kim Shin-wook is his closest rival and the 'Korean Peter Crouch' has been the top Korean striker in the K-League over the past two years. His massive height does tend to result in lots of long balls, however, but his finishing, in the air and on the ground, has improved of late.

Who is the player who is going to surprise everyone at the World Cup?

Lee Chung-yong. The Bolton Wanderers winger settled into the Premier League quite nicely back in 2009 after his move from FC Seoul. At the end of his second season, there was a promise of a move to Liverpool and all was looking promising until his leg was broken in a pre-season friendly by Newport's Tom Miller, a name well-remembered among Korean fans.

Lee returned only for the final week of the season, but by that time, the Trotters were already down. Life in the Championship has not been to his liking and while there are some fans who believe he is simply not the player he was before the injury, there are others, and not just supporters back in Korea, that feel it is a case of the league and the player just not being suited to each other.

Under Hong, Lee has been Korea's best performer. Switzerland, a team that arrived in Seoul last November on the back of an 18-month unbeaten run, couldn't cope with his pace and dribbling skills and were flattered by a 2-1 defeat. Lee ran through the Haiti defence at will, suggesting the beginnings of a potentially devastating understanding with Son Heung-min, and was surprisingly robust and aggressive in a defeat at the hands of Brazil last October, upsetting a number of the illustrious visitors.

Usually played on the right, though he pops up on the left from time to time, Lee has extremely quick feet, even if they don't quite reach his pre-injury speed. The major downside is his poor finishing – although he scored against Argentina and Uruguay in South Africa. He has yet to find the finishing to match his close control. If that happened, Lee really would be a star.

Who is the player who is going to disappoint the most?

Jung Sung-ryong. Likely to be Korea's No1 in Brazil, as he has been for most of the past four years or so, Jung does not inspire the confidence that he should. He looks like a perfect goalkeeper, tall, strong and as agile as they come but mistakes never seem that far away, even when he was in his best form in 2010-11. A brutal run of errors for club and country in 2013 cost him a starting spot temporarily, but his understudies were underwhelming. He was back between the posts against Greece in March and, while he kept a clean sheet, the woodwork and luck played a part.

What is the realistic aim for your team and why?

The last 16. Korea aim to be regular participants in the knockout stage. It has happened twice in the last three tournaments and even in 2006, the Taeguk Warriors performed the best of those who went home at the earliest opportunity. To do it again, and this time in South America, would be further evidence that the East Asians are a power in the world of football and give the game and the country a shot in the arm. At the risk of stating the obvious, the first game against Russia is hugely important for the performance as well as the result. A decent start and Korea should get out of Group H. All three games are winnable but then the other sides will probably be thinking the same. Coach Hong lacks overall coaching experience, but in tournaments he has an excellent record.

John Duerden is an Asia football correspondent for BBC Radio, the Guardian, ESPN and World Soccer

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