According to Futbology, Thursday’s Group B qualifier versus Palestine was my 16th time watching Korea Republic. All 16 games were at home in four cities (Seoul, Suwon, Hwaseong, and Ansan), but this was just the second goalless draw among the 16. The previous one was, at least, against a good Iranian team in 2017.
The Palestine match was the worst game I’ve been to. The highlight was watching Hong Myeong-bo, the new manager, roundly booed every time his face appeared on TV. There was a disallowed goal for the visitors, a couple of close calls, and plenty of screeching, but 98 minutes of dirge. With nothing about the game to write on, I thought I’d discuss the atmosphere for anyone hoping to watch the national team soon.
It helps that for this I went with two people experiencing their first ever Korean game.
Arbitrary scores out of 10 for Korea’s Group B qualifier versus Palestine.
Stadium: 9. The official attendance of 59,000 (nearly 10,000 shy of capacity) meant roaming was possible. There isn’t a bad seat anywhere in the ground. And because you can watch from various vantage points, you get a great view wherever you move.
Game: 2. Truly awful. Being generous.
Atmosphere: 6. We’ll discuss this later.
Food: 6. Standard fare inside and outside the ground. Fried chicken, chicken skewers, and octopus.
Drink: 6. The price of a tall boy can (2,700₩) is remarkably cheap for a game of this stature. But the selection is average.
Merchandise: 10. Unlike a K League ground, where you have to line up for 30 minutes to look at scarves in 35-degree heat, countless stands are selling old and new jerseys, t-shirts, flags, and more. The merchandise selection is impressive.
The noise level when Son Heung-min touches the ball: 16,829.
What’s the craic, Seoul?
Games in Korea are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The adoration and unconditional love the local fans have for their favorite players transcends sport. It is a level of hero-worshipping that’s taken to an entirely new level. It is a fascinating experiencing watching grown men and women scream and screech when Song Heung-min, Lee Gang-in, and Hwang Hee-chan, especially, touch the ball.
The difficulty with this type of support is you can’t tell the difference between a goal scored, a corner kick, a maurading run by a hero, or a flashy bit of Lee Gang-in skill on the touch line. It all sounds exactly the same, irrespective of the stadium, the opposition, the significance of the game, or how the game is unfolding.
Back to the two fans enjoying their first game at this level. “It was a very enjoyable experience, thanks for sorting out tickets.” They both purchased a jersey, Red Devil head bands and food. They loved the experience, the atmosphere, and the noise. “You’d never get this in Wembley.”
Take a backseat K League?
Hold on, there.
It is also possible that genuine K League supporters are priced out of the game. 30,000₩ is good value for an international fixture but that’s three times what you’d expect to pay in K League 2. And given most of the marches are in Seoul on a midweek evening, how many fans from Pohang, Ulsan, or Jeonju are making the trip.
Under Klinsmann and Bento, the 30,000₩ seats sold out immediately. The next tickets are priced at 70,000₩ with no discount for children. Bringing a family to a game then becomes a very expensive day out. I’ve always wondered how many of the national team fans are regulars at their local K League club. How many of them consume football from their sofa, like a TV show, watching SpoTV late in to the night or the endless reruns of Son’s goals for Spurs? Is that why some look close to fainting when Gang-in dribbled past three Palestinian defenders?
I would much rather see a K League 1 or 2 games. The crowds are smaller (which suits me) there are lots of songs, and some very impressive banners and flags. Waking up early to take a train done to Cheongju is my kind of day out, even if the away section is three-quarters of a mile from the field. The fans have a genuine connection to their clubs and the players in the jerseys.
It definitely beats watching Korea struggle badly to break down mediocre AFC opposition to a soundtrack of screaming, screeching, and wailing. But that’s just me.
Should I see Korea vs. Iraq?
If you haven’t been to a Korean international game before, then absolutely. Aside from the obvious point about watching some genuinely top-class players (Son, Lee, Hwang, Kim Min-jae, and then there’s Yang Min-hyeok, who could go to do incredible things), the atmosphere is worth checking out.
It all depends on what you want from your football match. If you like sitting down and watching good play, this mightn’t be your scene. If you treat footballers like celebrities and faint at their every movement, this is the clash for you.
And let’s not forget. There is no violence in these games. Apart from protests about KFA members and the manager, there is no hint of toxicity in the air. And that’s how football should be watched. Tickets are cheap, stadiums are world-class, the talent is obvious, and you can get all this for as little as 30,000₩.
But I also understand if you choose to sit at home and watch it on TV instead.
