Really this post should be titled “Why can’t soccer be like this in the States?”
After a long and jetlagged first day, AP and I decided to take things easy by plunging headfirst into a stadium full of shouting Koreans. Weeks before, we had acquired behind the goal seats to the Korea vs. Ecuador Friendly Match. I’d learned a lot about Korea in my first day – drinking at breakfast is sometimes encouraged, old people wear surgical masks for no apparent reason, “화장실” means “bathroom” not “exit”. More important than any of these lessons (with the possible exception of the latter) was the tutorial I was about to receive – how to cheer like a Korean.
It looks something like this.
The experience of watching a soccer game was taken from “good time” to “balls to the walls insanity” by three very important facts:
- Koreans are crazy about soccer.
- The 2010 FIFA World Cup was in less than a month, effectively doubling the crazy.
- The behind the goal seats are where all the crazy gets let loose.
Of course, I don’t expect anyone to take these assertions without proper evidence, so in order to support fact number one, consider this picture I took OUTSIDE the stadium a full hour and a half before the match was set to begin:
By the way, the colors of the Korean national team are red and more red.
Supporting point two:
A small gathering of people celebrating the world cup in 2002 (from http://blog.naver.com/gihansang)
And finally another one of my pictures for point three:
Unfortunately, I couldn’t photograph their shouts.
The amount of energy in the stadium was simply incredible. As was the bond I witnessed between tens of thousands of strangers, all united in the hopes that they had placed in a single team. Constant shouts of “대~한민국!” resonated within the walls of the venue, while a drum and flag corps comprised of the truly dedicated fans lead the masses in ten million cheers they all seemed to know. It didn’t take long for the excitement to get to me, and within the first five minutes I was already doing my best to fit in.
90 minutes of intense cheering later and Korea wins 2-0. How do we celebrate? More cheering. Continue for another hour then call it a day.
I hope you were taking notes US. Someday, I want to do this for MY team.
