The sound of leaves falling to the ground, a whiff of crisp autumn air; signals the time when baseball fever starts to grip South Korea. It's that time of the year when the whole nation is glued to their TVs to watch the KBO postseason, a sort of cornerstone in the nation's sports culture. One of the most salivating moments of the year is the playoff of KBO, which delights both die-hard and casual viewers alike.
Photo Courtesy of HAFS branch lead Yebean Hwang, Samsung lions Stadium in Daegu
The KBO playoffs are always one of those events that live up to their reputation. Now that the regular season is over, attention will be shifted to the fierce competition that will result in the crowning of a champion with a well-deserved trophy. The postseason is always the pinnacle of any baseball season for a player, coach, or fan. The stakes rise higher with each round of elimination, and the tension rises higher with each game. Fans who may not have been able to see through the whole season are now in drama, watching with bated breath as their favorite teams fight for survival. Every game is a ding-dong battle that decides the fluctuating fortunes and brings out passionate support from their fans, thronging the stadiums with cheers and energy to see their champions across the finish line.
For many Korean baseball fans, the KBO playoffs represent something more than games; they are moments in history. Most often, playoff games create some of the most thrilling upsets and very memorable plays that will be remembered by fans for years. It is in the postseason that legends are made, players rising to the occasion and carving their names in the annals of Korean baseball history. These moments are related not only to sport but also to community and shared experience bond of fans and their teams that is not broken.
Photo Courtesy of HAFS branch lead Yebean Hwang
Away game "KIA Tigers Crowd" at Samsung Stadium. Game 3/4
Baseball in Korea has strong historical and cultural roots. First introduced in the early 1900s, it caught on rather slowly but really became popular following the establishment of the KBO in 1982. For a decade, it has become one of the favorite sports in the modern family, frequently attended by the whole family and passed on as a tradition down the generations. It is true that baseball games bring in family bonding, as members bind together and create lifetime memories through the sporting event. All in all, it ultimately binds the nation's culture together.
Baseball is also very influential in shaping Korea's national identity. Their brilliant performances in the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic have succeeded in planting the sport into Korean hearts. Baseball is a source of national pride for many Koreans; victories by their teams are celebrated like victories by a whole country. It is undoubtedly true that compared to other popular sports such as soccer and basketball, baseball is definitely running first place in the hearts of Koreans.
Photo by Bloomberg via Getty Images
South Korean baseball players celebrate their gold medal victory - widely regarded as Korean Baseball's Prime Year filled with Ryu (ex-Dodgers, Blue Jays starting pitcher), Kim (ex- Orioles Fielder)
Baseball in fall is yet another level of fun in Korea: a full stadium in the postseason flickers in the colors of teams, chanting fight songs with energetic cheering by cheerleaders. Those who couldn't make it to games also gather at home, restaurants, or pubs with family, friends, and colleagues, sharing the excitement of competition. Baseball has a way of knitting people together in Korea through shared experience, common purpose, and a sense of unity and connection beyond the game itself.
As such, according to the secretariat of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on the 29th, more than 353,00 spectators visited 16 postseason(playoff) games this year, earning about 14.6 billion won from ticket income. This record-shattering figure is significantly higher than the previous PS's highest income of 10.39 million won in 2012.
This autumn, too, even though the KIA tigers came on top just after 5 games, Korean baseball fans have again been swept into the tide of excitement of the KBO postseason. It has been a time of hope, passion, and unforgettable moments that remind all the reasons baseball holds such a special place in the hearts of the Korean people.
If you find yourself still wanting to immerse in this nationwide baseball frenzy this time of year with the season over, the Khepa Digest recommends you visit a "screen baseball arena", similar to the screen golf places.
More info can be found here: https://seoulistic.com/activities/play-leisure/strikezon-jonggak-screen-baseball/
Works Cited
Bo-young, K. (2024, June 2). [463 K-Trend] KBO 101: : A Brief Introduction to the Korean Pro-Baseball League. 동국대학교 대학미디어센터. https://www.donggukmedia.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=82210