Soccer is big in South Korea. From the soldiers in the nation’s army to the children in school, soccer is said to be one of their most popular team sports. The country boasts the oldest professional soccer league in Asia, and Korean players on international teams, such as Park Ji Sung on the English Premier League’s Manchester United, have instilled even more pride in the sport among Koreans.
“I’d say at least 70 percent of the student body plays soccer for fun or has a team,” said John Park, president of the University of Chicago’s Korean Students Organization. “It’s like basketball here [in the United States].”
With the sport as popular as it is in their home country, the South Korean expatriates and Diaspora is very excited to see their national team in the World Cup.
“I’m definitely excited to cheer Korea on in the World Cup,” said Tina Yeo of DePaul’s Korean Students Organization. “My friends and I were considering waking up early to watch the 6 a.m. Greece versus Korea game this Saturday.”
“It’s our national team. It’s something really big for us.” Park said. “It’s not the best in the world, but we like it.”
The United States has the second largest overseas Korean community after China. According to a 2005 census bureau survey, the U.S. is home to approximately 432,907 native-born and 973,780 foreign-born Korean-Americans, with Chicago’s own Korean population concentrated in the Albany Park neighborhood.
“In Korea during the World Cup season, they have huge screens everywhere around the city, so that people can gather around and watch the games together,” said Park. “A lot of people prefer to go outside and watch soccer and actually live in the moment.”
Watching soccer as a community is a unique experience in South Korea that has gained momentum only since they co-hosted the World Cup with Japan in 2002. For his own World Cup celebration, Park will be replicating that experience in his own Chicago home.
“I own a projector, so I’m actually going to play it at home so people can come and visit and watch it together,” said Park.
While the Korean-Americans and Korean expatriates living in America are certainly excited, the feeling is even more palpable across the ocean.
“There’s merchandise being sold everywhere and television commercials playing with some crazy anthem,” said John Bacon, an American English teacher living in Gwangju, South Korea. “The kids are really excited. Whenever sports are mentioned, they start talking about soccer.”
The presence of North Korea in the games is a subject of some discussion among South Koreans. According to Bacon, many are surprised they even qualified.
“It’s kind of like they can’t really believe they’re in it, still,” he said.
Back in America, Yeo echoed that confusion.
“I thought it was kind of crazy,” she said. “It’s weird that North Koreans aren’t free to say or do whatever they please, and yet they have a soccer team.”
During the qualifying matches, North Korea and South Korea slugged it out over 4 games, coming up with 3 draws and a final game which South Korea won 1-0. They went on to beat the United Arab Emirates and earn a draw against Saudi Arabia and Iran to qualify for the World Cup.
“Apart from being the enemy of our state, they’re Koreans too” said Park, a former member of the South Korean army. “So I wish them the best luck.”