Olsen Racela is rarely candid about the heartbreak that was the semifinals of the 2002 Busan Asian Games.

But when he does, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel assistant and Far Eastern University coach is making sure that it counts.

“What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger!” Racela said in an Instagram story, reacting to a video of the final seconds of the country’s 69-68 loss to host South Korea in the semis of that year’s quadrennial meet.

The Philippines fell short of arranging a showdown with Yao Ming and China for the gold medal when Lee Sang Min scored a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the South Koreans a dramatic victory.

Before that, the national cagers were seconds away from eliminating the hosts after Racela drained a three with less than a minute left to make it 68-66.

Racela was later fouled after South Korea failed to convert on the previous possession. But the then-San Miguel Beer, a career 84-percent free throw shooter, muffed both tries that opened the door for Lee to come through in the clutch.

The Busan nightmare was among the string of losses the Philippines endured against South Korea, a term later coined as the “Curse of South Korea.”

It would take another 11 years before the Philippines ended the dryspell, turning the tables on the South Koreans with an 86-79 win in the semifinals of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship on home soil.

South Korea has since resumed its dominance over the Filipino cagers, winning the next five meetings namely the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, 2015 and 2017 William Jones Cup, 2017 FIBA Asia Cup and 2018 Indonesia Asian Games.

Though some may remember Racela for his missed free throws, he remains as one of the PBA’s greatest players and is one of five players to play more than 900 games in an 18-year career that ended in 2011.

“(Racela) played (nine) more productive years after the 2002 Asian Games. Tama ba cap?,” said Dondon Hontiveros, Racela’s teammate during the Busan stint and with SMB for several years in the pros.