South Korea struck with eight minutes left to seal a 2-1 victory over a heartbroken China on Wednesday and reach the final of the Asian Games men's football.
They will face either hosts Japan or Uzbekistan for gold on Saturday.
Bae Jun-ho was the hero for the South Koreans, ghosting in at the back post to head in a dramatic 82nd-minute winner at Nagai Stadium.
China's men have never won Asian Games football gold and were contesting their first semifinal since 1998.
History looked on the cards when Wang Yudong finished off a smart team move with an emphatic finish to put China ahead on 22 minutes.
In an entertaining encounter in front of a sparse crowd, Lee Young-jun hit back for South Korea 11 minutes later, with China goalkeeper Li Hao getting a hand to it but unable to keep the ball out.
China had several good chances in the second half to retake the lead, before Stoke City's Bae popped up with the winner.
North Korea will face Japan in the women's final.