Day 20 (9.1)- The Lotte Giants: The story of how we fell in love with Korean baseball
I am not a huge fan of baseball. There, I said it, what’s done is done. It’s boring to watch guys run around in circles but only in small increments, there’s barely any contact, and half the time, I can’t even tell where the ball is. I’d much prefer to watch a soccer or football game, or paint drying for that matter….This changed in Busan, home of the Lotte Giants.
Korea takes baseball to a whole new level, taking it both more seriously, and having more fun than their American counterparts.
Exhibit A
Why not be cost-effective AND give everyone a chance to show some team pride? The Giants pass out orange plastic bags that can be used both as a festive hat or as a trash participle.
Exhibit B
They have a designated “exciting zone”
All jokes aside though, as someone that has no interest whatsoever in baseball, I was amazed by how fun it could be.
There was an intermission that included dimmed mood-lighting, followed by asking all the fans to put their flashlights on and wave their phones around as they sang popular songs.
The cheerleaders (which we don’t have in American baseball) were the runner-ups for becoming k-pop stars, so their routines were more similar to that of pop-stars than of the cheerleaders we are used to. Their routines included solos with just the dancers, as well as a breakdancing mascot, and a hype-man that seemed to put in more of a physical effort than the players themselves. All this chutzpah seems to show that Koreans know how to be determined to have a good time. Yes, Americans do this at their games as well, but in the US, it’s more about the team winning than actually enjoying yourself. In Korea, the main event is that you, the fan, have a good time.
This isn’t just apparent in the entertainment, but the whole event. Every player has their own theme song and dance all the fans know by heart. Food is welcome to be brought in from outside, but the food courts inside are moderately priced.
They include a couple different treats we’re not likely to see at a Mariner’s game anytime soon… like dried squid.
There are also convenience stores within the stadium that sell all the essentials at the same price as any other location… snacks, soda, and of course beer. No $12 Rainier cans here, only 2700 Won (~$2) for a bottle of Cass. They even had a station outside each 7-Eleven where fans could pour out their beers into cups.
Finally, after the game, it was pretty clear how much locals in Busan love their team. Everyone in the subway was wearing a Lotte Giants jersey and our professor was even stopped on our way home by the fan that was sitting behind him during the game. He was quite excited that an American was so pumped to be there we thought.
The takeaway again seems to show that Koreans have a love for fun that is hard to compete with anyone else. A game that I’ve always thought was boring ended up being one of the most entertaining experiences I’ve ever had at a sporting event due to the Korean spirit. I even went home with a Giants jersey by the end of the night.
Well worth it.
