K-SPORTS
Korean Culture No.6
K-SPORTS: A New Breed of Rising Champions Copyright Š 2012 by Korean Culture and Information Service All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. First Published in 2012 by Korean Culture and Information Service Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Phone: 82-2-398-1914~20 Fax: 82-2-398-1882 Website: www.kocis.go.kr ISBN: 978-89-7375-565-3 04690 ISBN: 978-89-7375-163-1 (set) Printed in the Republic of Korea For further information about Korea, please visit: www.korea.net
K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Chapter Three
Experiencing K-Sports
63
Professional Baseball
64
Contents
Professional Soccer
76
Hiking and Rock Climbing
87
Biking
90
Chapter Four
95
Korean Sports Infrastructure A Victory for Sports Science
95
Three Training Centers: Home to Gold Medalists
97
Sports Education
100
Appendix Further Reading
09
102 102
Prologue Korean Sports Going Global Chapter One
17
Sports in the Lives of Koreans
19
Leisure Sports Abound
21
Sports Clubs Gaining in Popularity Chapter Two
31
Korean Sports in the World
31
Engaging the World through Sports
36
100 Million Taekwondo Lovers
42
Korean Sports Coaches around the World
48
World-Famous Korean Athletes
iv K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Sports in the Lives of Koreans v
“Korea’s pitchers have been nearly flawless,… The Koreans’ infield defense has sparkled, and their offense, led by the thunder stick of first baseman Seung Yeop Lee (five home runs through five games), has raked the ball all over the yard. They’re deservedly undefeated.” Comment on the Korean baseball team at the 2006 World Baseball Classic, ESPN.com, March 14, 2006
“Wearing a royal blue dress that fluttered in the wind, she sped atop the ice, seamlessly incorporating triple jumps into her complex routine, as if it were as natural as breathing. Her complicated footwork left gigantic, loopy scribbles all over the ice, but as she moved, she appeared to be floating.” Comment on Kim Yuna’s performance at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, The New York Times, February 26, 2010
“South Korea claimed their first-ever Olympic football medal as they saw off Japan to secure bronze at the Millennium Stadium. Arsenal’s Park Chu Young set them on their way with a superb solo effort.” Daily Mail, 10 August, 2012
vi K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Sports in the Lives of Koreans vii
Prologue
Korean Sports Going Global
At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Korea ended up 5th among 204 nations, earning 13 gold medals in addition to 8 silvers and 7 bronzes. When looked at from the country’s original goal of going 10&10 in London, winning at least 10 gold medals and finishing in the top 10, the country’s Olympic achievement is nothing short of astounding. In fact, Korea was second only to China among all Asian countries. But when you look at each individual Korean performance, it imediately becomes clear that it was more impressive than the total number of medals Korea brought home.
Full Steam Ahead One of the most special medals won by Korea in London was the bronze medal that the national soccer team earned in men’s soccer after downing Japan in the bronze medal match by a score of 2-0, giving Korea its first ever medal in the event at the Olympics. Besides, there was also a sensational moment when Korea beat England in a shootout in the quarterfinals. This was all the more exceptional considering that just a decade ago the Korean soccer team was a heavy underdog to most European teams. Prologue 9
In archery, traditionally a strong sport for Korea, the country took home
just Korea’s national martial art.
golds in individual men and women’s events as well as in the women’s
Korea also won several unexpected medals in events it has traditionally
group event but had to settle for bronze in the men’s group event. London
not done well. For example, it excelled in such sports as shooting, fencing,
proved a historic moment for Korea, as it was the first time the country
gymnastics, and swimming. For winning medals in them, it requires
captured gold in the men’s individual event. Many countries around the
specialized sports facilities like, among others, gymnasium. In light of
world have even asked Korean coaches to help their programs catch up to
this, Korea’s extraordinary achievements in London prove that the right
Korea’s unrivaled performance. Meanwhile, Korean athletes have managed
synergy between government support and infrastructure, and the effort
to maintain their composure as a result of their unparalleled experience.
and dedication exuded by athletes in training can make the seemingly
However, Korea, the country from which taekwondo has originated,
impossible possible.
did not perform well in taekwondo, by winning no more than one gold
Korean athletes rose to the occasion in shooting events, earning three
medal. On the other hand, this is also a testament to the fact that
gold medals and two silvers. In particular, Korea grabbed the gold and silver
taekwondo has truly become an international sport and is more than
medal in the men’s 50m pistol event. More astonishingly, Korea won its first
10 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Prologue 11
gold medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the Olympics. In addition, Jin Jong-oh won two gold medals in men’s 10m and 50m pistol events. The unprecedented performance of Korea’s fencing teams captured the attention of the country and the world when they won two gold medals, one in men’s team sabre and the other in women’s individual sabre, as well as a silver and three bronzes. This was a huge moment for the nation’s fencing program because the sport has traditionally been dominated by Europeans. Until London, a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games was the best a Korean fencing athlete had done. Thus, in just four years Korea had achieved the impossible in fencing, turning the country’s fencing team into a new world power. Without doubt, however, Yang Hak-seon’s gold medal in men’s vault—a
Shin A-lam waits for a ruling by officials during a women’s individual épée fencing semifinals match against Germany’s Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
first in the event for Korea—was a thrill for the entire nation. Yang landed like
exit from the women’s épée, she and her fencing compatriots added six
a butterfly in his final vault, showing advanced techniques along the way.
more medals.” The paper attributed this remarkable accomplishment to the hellish training and hard work of all Korean athletes, quoting the
A Proud Nation
Korean local newspaper the Chosun Ilbo: “Korean fencers and staff have
Korean athletes were as skilled as they were affable and gracious, never
slogged their guts out in training for the past four years. And their efforts
losing their fortitude even when a judge’s decision was controversial.
paid off beyond anyone’s expectations.”
Ultimately, this had a profound effect on spectators. As a case in point,
Although Korea’s synchronized swimming duet finished dead last in
on July 30, the Guardian featured an article about the “one-second”
their event, the swimmers said delightfully in an interview after their
controversy in fencing. Korean fencer Shin A-lam lost by one point to her
swim: “The performance was great!” In the triathlon, a Korean triathlete
opponent in a sudden death semi-final elimination match after regulation
finished second to last, yet was ecstatic just to be representing his country
time ended in a 5-5 score. The clock was technically out of time when her
at the Olympic Games. All of these athletes exuded the truest sense of
opponent, German fencer Britta Heidemann, scored a final point. Even
sportsmanship.
though the Korean delegation lodged a formal protest, the judges sided with the German fencer and the ruling was confirmed the following day. According to The Guardian on August 8, “Despite Shin’s controversial
12 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
The Korean delegation’s slogan for the London Olympic Games was “From London To London,” a reference to the fact that the 1948 London Olympics were the first time Korea participated in the global sporting
Prologue 13
event as an independent country and had grown into a major sports power in the 64 years since then. Back in 1948, Korea was one of the world’s poorest countries and needed financial assistance just to get to the British capital and compete in an international sports event of this stature. Today, however, Korea has become an economic power that is capable of hosting every major sporting event, including the Summer and Winter Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup. Not only is the country hosting these events—they are excelling at them. When they flew to London, the Korean delegation wanted to display the utmost sportsmanship while putting on for the world an unforgettable show of the athletic prowess that was attained in such a short period of time, which they exactly did.
Korean Athletes: A New Breed of Champions Korean athletes have officially gone global. It is no longer surprising to see Korean athletes playing in England’s Premier League. Indeed, it was none
The Korean flag flies high at the medal ceremony for the Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Vault at the 2012 London Olympics.
other than Korea’s Park Ji-sung who held the UEFA Champions League
Final, the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, the World Figure
trophy up high after his team, Manchester United, won the championship
Skating Championships, and Winter Olympic Games.
in 2007–2008. In addition, it is no longer uncommon to see Korean
What is more, it is now quite common to see Koreans ranked among
athletes in Japan’s pro baseball league or playing Major League Baseball in
the world’s top golfers on the PGA tour. Pak Se-ri has enjoyed tremendous
the U.S. Today, the Korean flag flies high at medal ceremonies for shooting,
success over the years, winning the US Women’s Open and British
swimming, fencing, and figure skating competitions around the world.
Women’s Open on the LPGA Tour. She was also the youngest woman to
In particular, women’s figure skating has been long considered a sport in
obtain four major world titles in golf. At most major LPGA tournaments
which only European and North Americans could excel at. But Korean Kim
today, there always seems to be three or four Korean women among the
Yuna changed all of that when she set the latest world record at the 2010
top ten ranked women golfers.
Vancouver Olympics. She scored 78.50 in the short program and 150.06
Korea also hosts a world-famous F-1 race every year in Yeongam, while
in the free skating program totalling of more than 200 points. She also hit
the Tour de Corée is a famous cycling event held annually throughout
the grand slam of women’s figure skating, securing wins at the Grand Prix
the country.
14 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Prologue 15
Chapter one
SPORTS IN THE LIVES OF KOREANS
K
orean sports have come into the spotlight recently because of the country’s leading sports infrastructure and scientific management
of athletes. In Korea, young athletes who show great promise are trained in a scientific way at special facilities while honing their skills and techniques through a number of national and international sports competitions. In fact, Korea has exclusive sports facilities especially for use by athletes in the run-up to major international events such as the Olympics and World Championships. More than anything else, however, the reason Korean sports have come as far as they have is because of the vast infrastructure and constant push in society to make sports accessible to everyone. Both the public and private sectors have their own individual sports
programs, which are customized for boys and girls, men and women, and
Sports in the Lives of Koreans 17
even for infants and the elderly. Schools offer sports programs as part of their regular curriculum. All around Korea, it is quite easy to find gyms or other places where people enjoy various sports. Additionally, parks across the nation are equipped with large and small sports facilities, while every city in Korea has at least one major sports complex that can host large sporting events. As of the end of 2011, there were 649 soccer stadiums, 216 track & field stadiums, 585 tennis courts, 101 baseball stadiums, and 292 swimming pools in Korea. In addition to the 13 hockey arenas, 17 venues for sailing races, 20 ice rinks for speed skating and figure skating, 10 canoe race venues, and 16 racetracks, there were also 681 sports complexes and 12,194 community sports centers throughout the nation.
Leisure Sports Abound Koreans are very familiar with leisure sports, as they are eager for families and for building stronger ties between colleagues at work. The most popular leisure sport in Korea is hiking. With a plethora of hills and mountains around the Korean peninsula, most people have at least a small hill to hike up in their immediate neighborhood. In fact, more than 70 percent of Korea is mountainous, so the country is a wonderful place to be if you enjoy hiking. Even Korea’s biggest cities are surrounded by both small and large mountains, with larger, more challenging mountains as close as an
Mountaineer Um Hong-gil and his fellow mountain climbers at Mt. Bukhansan
hour’s drive away from one’s home or office. It is no surprise, then, that every weekend people swarm to nearby mountains. In and around Seoul, there are also a lot of climbing walls for those who are serious about rock climbing. Mt. Bukhansan and Mt. Dobongsan, in particular, have an assortment of rock climbing opportunities for people of all levels, from beginners to experts. Another unique aspect to sports in Korea is the country’s many morning soccer clubs. The majority of communities all over the nation have a morning soccer club, where anyone who wants to play can participate. They even have their own leagues and play against teams from neighboring communities. Today, approximately 500,000 Koreans play in one of these morning soccer clubs, easily making them the nation’s most popular sports club. Yeoido Hangang Park in Seoul
18 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Sports in the Lives of Koreans 19
Waterskiing in Chuncheon
water sports. Moors have also been built in harbors for boats, kayaks, and windsurfing boards. It is expected that more sports facilities will be extablished around Korea’s four major rivers, including golf courses.
Sports Clubs Gaining in Popularity Snowboarding is one of the most popular winter sports in Korea.
Over the past several years, Korean marathon clubs have witnessed
Koreans also enjoy a variety of other sports and activities in their free time.
explosive growth. Marathons are held across the nation on almost every
In the warmer months, rollerblading is popular with both sexes, whether
weekend throughout the spring and fall. Tens of thousands of people take
young or old, while in winter many Koreans love to go snowboarding.
part in these races.
Paintball, clay pigeon shooting, orienteering, bungee jumping, bicycle
Many more people are joining bicycle clubs these days as well, partly
stunts, off-road ATV, and crossbow archery are popular as well. On the
because of their eco-friendly appeal. Some people rise to the challenge
water, Koreans have taken to wakeboarding, waterbiking, rafting, canoeing,
of biking across the country on bike roads that extend for a total of 1,757
and water sleds. In the sky, they go paragliding, sky diving, riding on ultra-
km. To date, more than 23,000 people have crossed the country by bike
light aircrafts, motor paragliding, and hot air ballooning.
and everyone who accomplishes this is awarded a certificate from the
Recently, the government-led Four Major Rivers Restoration Project has helped widen some of Korea’s rivers, creating more venues for 20 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
government. The Korean government also plans to finish work on a 3,120 km national bike road network by 2019 (see page 93). Sports in the Lives of Koreans 21
After getting their start on small trails called Olle across Jeju Island, walking clubs have become quite popular in Korea. Many communities and workplaces have their own walking clubs, and many of them have an online presence as well. As of 2010, the number of Korean sports clubs stood at 97,815 and the number of club members at 3,085,879. This figure has tripled over the last decade and is only growing. Soccer clubs have the largest number of members (488,489), followed by tennis, bowling and hiking clubs. However, when you take into account all of the unregistered clubs around the country, the number grows to an unimaginable figure.
Cheonggye-Hangang Marathon Members of Goyang Lakers, a women’s baseball club
Many of these clubs have their own club leagues. In particular, soccer, table tennis, kickball, baseball, bowling, futsal, basketball, pool, squash, and racquetball have their own regional leagues and national championships. In 2010, there were 17,200 clubs taking part in these leagues, with 320,400 people participating. The Korean government continues to cooperate with sports associations to support and further boost these clubs and leagues.
22 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Sports in the Lives of Koreans 23 Olle Trail in Jeju Island
A History of Korean Sports Host of the World Taekwondo Championships
Suh Yun-bok wins the 51st Boston Marathon Although Korea gained its independence from Japan at the end of World War II, Korea suffered a dearth of industrial infrastructure, as its resources had been heavily depleted by Japanese imperialism and its war efforts. Still, news of Korean marathoner Suh Yun-bok ’s victory in the 1947 Boston Marathon instilled a great sense of pride and joy in all Koreans, as it had been 11 years since Sohn Kee-Chung won the gold medal for Korea under the Japanese flag at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
1947
Runner-up at the World Women’s Basketball Championships
In 1973, Seoul hosted t h e 1 s t Wo r l d Ta e k w o n d o Championships, laying the foundation for the development of the sport, which would lead to its inclusion as an Olympic sport in 2000.
In 1967, Korea won a historic silver medal at the World Women’s Basketball Championships in Prague. Korea’s captain at the event, Park Shin-ja, also became the first MVP to be selected from a runner-up team.
1967
1948
First participation at the Olympics The 1948 London Olympics gave the country an opportunity to announce to the world its independence as a sovereign nation. Using the money many Korean citizens donated, the national team travelled to England. The journey then took 20 days by boat and plane. Middleweight weightlifter Kim Seong-jib and flyweight boxer Han Su-an both won bronze medals.
1973
1966
Boxer Kim Ki-soo becomes world champion In the 1960s, professional boxing became more popular than ever all around the world. Korean boxer Kim Ki-soo won a World Champion belt in a WBA Super Welterweight title match in 1966. Since then, Korea has produced several notable boxing stars, including Hong Su-hwan and Jang Jeong-gu.
24 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
1976 Women’s table tennis team wins a world title
Wrestler Yang Jung-mo wins a gold medal at the Montreal Olympics
Korea’s first championship for any kind of ball game came in 1973 when Lee Erisa and Jung Hyun-suk won eight matches in a row at the World Table Tennis Championships in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Korea’s women’s table tennis team has remained one of the world’s strongest ever since.
Korea won a long-awaited Olympic gold medal in 1976 when Yang Jeong-mo, a freestyle featherweight wrestler, took home the top medal in Montreal.
Sports in the Lives of Koreans 25
Park Chan-ho plays a Major League baseball game
Kim Jin-ho wins five gold medals at the World Archery Championships Korean archers rose to prominence a t t h e 1 9 7 9 Wo r l d A r c h e r y Championships in West Berlin, where Kim Jin-ho won a total of five gold medals. This was just the beginning of Korea’s dominance in archery; In 1984, Korea brought home its first Olympic gold medal in archery from the Los Angeles Olympics.
1979
In 1994, Park Chan-ho attracted the attention of Major League scouts. As a starting pitcher for the L.A. Dodgers, Park recorded 20 victories, sporting a 160km/h fastball that earned him the nickname, “Korean Express.”
Professional baseball league established In 1981, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) was established. Korea’s professional baseball league was formed a year later, ushering in a new era of baseball for Korea. Professional leagues were later established in basketball and soccer, which expanded the country’s amateur player base and in turn contributed to the globalization of Korean sports.
1982 1988
Boxer Yoo Myung-woo becomes an 18-time defending champion Korean athletes really began to make their mark in professional sports leagues around the world in the 1990s. WBA junior flyweight professional boxer Yoo Myung-woo became champion in 1985 and was an 18-time defending champion for just over six years.
1993 1992
1994 1998 Pak Se-ri rises to fame in the LPGA
Host of the Seoul Olympics The 1988 Seoul Olympics was a showcase of Korea’s potential for the world. It was the first time in more than a decade that Eastern and Western bloc countries participated at the same Olympics. Korea finished fourth overall.
26 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Hwang Young-jo wins the gold medal in the marathon at the Barcelona Olympics Hwang Young-jo finally won the first Olympic gold in the marathon at the Barcelona Olympics. Proudly wearing the Korean flag on his chest, Hwang crossed the finish line with 80,000 people cheering him on.
Along with Park Chan-ho, there was someone else who helped restore hope and confidence amid the dire situation brought on by the Asian financial crisis in 1997: Pak Se-ri. On July 1997, she won the LPGA U.S. Open and was well on her way towards becoming Korea’s most famous athletic export. Since her appearance at the LPGA, a number of other Korean female golfers have gone on to win tournaments in the LPGA too. Sports in the Lives of Koreans 27
Kim Yuna wins the gold medal in women’s figure skating at the Vancouver Olympics When Kim Yuna scored a total of 207.71 points at the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, she set a world record for shattering the 200-point mark for the first time in the ladies’ singles short program. She also won a gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, emerging as Korea’s Winter Olympic star.
Daegu hosts the IAAF World Championships
Korea finishes fourth at the Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup
Korea held the 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Daegu.
At the 2002 World Cup, which was co-hosted by Korea and Japan, Korea finished in fourth place, the highest finish an Asian team have ever had. Korea’s Red Devil fans also attracted a lot of attention from news stations around the world.
2002
2010
2011 2012
2008 Korea wins gold medals in baseball and swimming at the Beijing Olympics
Pyeongchang is chosen to host the 2018 Winter Olympics
The 2008 Beijing Olympics proved that Korean sports had reached new heights. The Korean baseball team won the gold medal, defeating the U.S., Cuba, and Japan along the way. At the same Olympics, Korean swimmer Park Tae-hwan won the men’s 400m freestyle gold medal.
The 123rd Olympic Committee meeting selected Pyeongchang as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics. This makes Korea one of handful countries to have hosted both Summer and Winter Olympics, a FIFA World Cup, and an IAAF World Championships in full.
28 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korea finishes fifth at the London Olympics The 2012 London Olympics was a unique chance for Korea to show off its athletic prowess. In fact, Korea finished in fifth among 204 participants at the Olympics, winning 13 gold medals, 8 silvers, and 7 bronzes in a wide range of events that included shooting, archery, fencing, gymnastics, swimming. Korea even won a bronze medal in men’s soccer.
Sports in the Lives of Koreans 29
Chapter Two
KOREAN SPORTS IN THE WORLD
Engaging the World through Sports 1988 Seoul Olympic Games Korea hosted the Summer Olympics from September 17 to October 2, 1988, in major cities across the nation. It was the second Asian country and 16th in the world to host the world’s biggest sporting event. A total of 13,304 delegates (8,391 of whom were athletes) representing 159 countries from around the world participated in the Olympics— the largest ever at an Olympics up until then. Under the Games’ motto of “Harmony and Progress,” Korea wanted to make the 1988 Summer Olympics the largest one in Olympic history in terms of the number of participants and the safest and most cost-efficient Games ever, an event where world record accomplishments would be achieved harmoniously. The Soviet Union ended up taking home the most number of gold medals, followed by East Germany and the United States. Korea won 12 30 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 31
gold medals, good enough
Cup in two different countries, and it was also the first time the event
for 4th place overall, while
was held on Asian soil. The 2002 FIFA World Cup witnessed a series of
West Germany was 5th with
other extraordinary events taking place. Strong World Cup candidates
11 gold medals.
France and Argentina failed to advance out of group play. Furthermore,
The event was full of
Senegal, appearing at the World Cup for the first time ever, made it to the
significance in many ways.
quarterfinals, while the U.S., generally an underdog at the tournament,
After a 12-year wait, Eastern
also reached the quarterfinals. Yet the real shocker came when Korea
and Western Bloc countries
and Turkey both captured the world by surprise when they reached the
par ticipated in harmony
semi-finals.
in the Olympics after the
Yet the surprises did not end there. Co-host Korea’s vibrant, energetic
Eastern Bloc boycott of
and devoted fans, the Red Devils, impressed the world with their support
the Los Angeles Summer
of the country’s national soccer team. The Red Devils’ unique support
Olympics in 1984, which
structure and passion inspired Koreans from all walks of life to take to
came in retaliation to the
the streets in support of their country’s soccer team. Scenes featuring
Western Bloc boycott of the
thousands of Koreans wearing red shirts, many of which said “Be the
1980 Summer Olympics in The opening ceremony of the Seoul Olympic Games
M o s c ow. T h e c ro s s - b l o c
Korean fans gathered in front of Seoul City Hall during the 2002 World Cup
agreement to participate in the international sporting event contributed to a thawing of Cold War tensions and a general decrease in racism, living up to the spirit of the Olympics. At the same time, Korea had an opportunity to showcase many of its time-honored traditions as well as its Miracle on the Han River to the world, which left a lasting impression on everyone.
2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan The 17th FIFA World Cup in 2002 was unique for two reasons right off the bat: it was the soccer tournament’s first time hosting the World
32 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 33
more amazing was the fact that no incidents were reported out in public
2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics
even with all those fans out and about.
From February 9 to 25, 2018,
Reds,” appeared online and in newspapers around the world. Perhaps
the Winter Olympic Games will
Daegu 2011 IAAF World Championships in Athletics
be held in Pyeongchang, Korea.
In 2011, Korea hosted the 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in
After successfully hosting the
Daegu, a city in southeastern Korea that is as steeped in history as it is
S u m m e r Ol y m p i c s i n 1 9 8 8 ,
equipped with the highest level of technology and infrastructure. The city’s
Korea will soon become only the
most recently built stadium had also played host to other international
second Asian nation to host both
sporting events such as the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 2003 Daegu Summer
the Summer and Winter Olympics.
Universiade, and the Colorful Daegu Pre-Championship Meeting. With its
Thus, by 2018 Korea will have had the honor of hosting the proverbial
cutting-edge IT technology, the HD scoreboard can display video segments
“grand slam” of sporting events: the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympic Games,
up to one one-hundredth of a second, vividly delivering the sweat of every
the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 2011 IAAF World Championships, and the
athlete to fans around the stadium. The 2011 IAAF World Championships in
2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. This puts Korea into a pretty elite
Daegu was viewed by more than 156 million households in more than 15
category, as it will be only the 6th country in the world to have ever
countries around the world.
hosted all of the above-mentioned events, along with France, Germany,
IOC President Jacques Rogge announces the selection of Pyeongchang as the 2018 Winter Olympics venue.
Italy, Japan, and Russia. After three unsuccessful bids, Pyeongchang finally won the right to host the Winter Olympics at the 123rd International Olympic Committee (IOC) General Assembly in Durban, South Africa on July 6, 2011. Pyeongchang is an alpine city in Korea’s Gangwon-do. In 2018, Pyeongchang will be hosting 15 winter sport disciplines, organized as 7 Olympic sports, in 13 different stadiums, arenas and slopes in and around the city. Today, years before the opening ceremonies are even scheduled to take place, almost everything is already in perfect order for all the major sporting events. While ice rinks and ski hills, as well as venues for ski jumping, biathlon, Nordic combined, and alpine skiing have been Usain Bolt leads the pack as the final runner of the Jamaican relay on his way winning gold in the men’s 4x100m final at the 13th IAAF World Championships in Daegu.
34 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 35
completed, a few others are still under construction. The Organizing
participating in the International Taekwondo Championships every year.
Committee is also preparing to make the event a smart ICT Olympics by
This figure is actually close to the number of countries that take part in the
featuring cutting-edge ICT technologies at the event. The Pyeongchang
Olympics.
Winter Olympics is set to be an unprecedented opportunity for Korea to showcase its advanced ICT technologies to the world.
As might be expected, taekwondo has become a cultural icon of Korea, which can be attributed to the consistent effort of both the private sector and the Korean government to globalize taekwondo more effectively.
100 Million Taekwondo Lovers Internationally Standardized Taekwondo Taekwondo originated in Korea and has its roots in a traditional Korean martial art called takkyun. Taekwondo evolved into what it is today over many centuries. In 1961, the Korea Taekwondo Association was established and a decade later, in 1971, it became Korea’s national sport. In 1973, the 1st International Taekwondo Championships were held in Seoul, the sport’s international debut. Later, taekwondo was officially designated as an Olympic demonstration sport at the IOC General Assembly in 1980. Taekwondo has been an official Olympic sport since the 2000 Sydney
Sponsored by an NGO called the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation, the World Taekwondo Peace Corps has sent 107 delegates to 25 countries since 2008 to promote the spirit of taekwondo and Korean culture. The Korean government has been sending taekwondo experts around the world through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to promote the practice of taekwondo. In fact, KOICA has been sending taekwondo volunteers to developing countries in Asia and Africa since 1972 to teach people all about the Korean martial art. These volunteers teach taekwondo to local residents, students, military cadets and KOICA volunteers teaching Taekwondo
Olympics. Early on, Korean athletes took home the lion’s share of the sport’s medals. Even at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, all four gold medals went to Korea. At the 2012 London Olympics, however, Korean athletes qualified for every weight class in the event but won nothing more than a single gold and single silver medal. The remaining seven gold medals went to athletes from seven different countries. Though being a blow to Korea’s national taekwondo team, it was proof that the sport had become a fullfledged international sport, and not just one country’s homegrown sport. Today, there are roughly 100 million people around the world who are learning or practicing taekwondo, 3.8 million of which are Koreans. The World Taekwondo Federation has 205 member nations, with 144 countries 36 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 37
taekwondo athletes through local taekwondo associations, schools, and
Evolution into a Sport of Spiritual Discipline
police academies. To date, over 3,000 experts have been sent abroad from
These days, sports that involve spiritual discipline are very popular. For
Korea for this purpose.
many young people, especially teens who are addicted to things like the
Koreans who are part of the UN’s peacekeeping operations also run
Internet, computers and violence, something more holistic was necessary.
taekwondo classes for local residents in disputed areas around the
Taekwondo is fundamentally a self-defense martial art that uses one’s
world, which helps accomplish a very important goal for those serving
hands and feet. However, the spiritual discipline that is required to be
in UN Peacekeeping: to win the respect and trust of people in the local
successful in taekwondo is just as important as the physical element.
communities. Korea’s Dongmyeong Corps, which served in Lebanon for
Taekwondo is based on the three pillars of East Asian philosophy: heaven,
five years as part of a UN peacekeeping operation, ended up teaching
earth, and humans. This East Asian philosophy believes humans are an
taekwondo to 740 local residents, with more than 50 of these people
integral part of the universe, with the body and soul linked together as one.
going on to attain the black belt grade.
As a sport, taekwondo is about defending oneself through the practice of a martial art and the strict spiritual discipline needed to accomplish this. In other words, it is about making use of both body and soul, making it popular among men and women of all ages. As of 2012, 80 American public schools had adopted taekwondo into their official physical education curriculum, as the Korean martial art is highly regarded for its positive effect on the character of boys and girls. Other countries have also adopted taekwondo
Students practicing taekwondo at Time Square in New York
38 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 39
into their official physical education curriculum. When asked about taekwondo’s popularity, Norman Burgess, principal of Bowie Memorial Elementary School, responded by saying, “The growing number of school shootings and drug issues, as well as related crimes, has raised questions over America’s ethical education program. As such, I think the virtues associated with taekwondo, such as putting the team before the individual and the activity’s many character-building traits, are effective in addressing the problems I just mentioned.” Sonja Wall, a physical education teacher at Rebecca M. Johnson Elementary School, adds, “It means a lot to me that taekwondo teaches
U.S. para-taekwondo athlete Sheila Radziewicz, a female black belt
students the value of tolerance, something seldom found in American society.” Taekwondo has grown beyond a mere sport and into a martial art that also stresses spiritual discipline. Some even practice it to alleviate
Starting off as a simple self-defense martial art, taekwondo has since
illnesses. In fact, taekwondo training has been said to help people heal
evolved into an internationally-recognized sport and an activity for
both physically and mentally. This is similar to the East Asian concepts of
cultivating spiritual discipline, as well as a means of gaining a stronger
dan and gi (spirit), which have recently been gaining more attention in the
sense of self-control to overcome hardships. Given its current popularity,
West as alternative healing methods.
taekwondo may very well be the next “Hallyu” (Korean Wave) overseas.
Consider the case of American Vietnam War veteran Robert Erb, who,
That is part of the reason Korea is doing everything it can to further
after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, began taekwondo training four
develop this time-honored martial art. Although much of the focus on
hours every single day in an effort to cope with and battle his disease. His
research into taekwondo up until now has been on the physical aspect of
touching story spread quickly across the U.S.
the sport and its governing rules, more attention is now being given to the
Another memorable story related to taekwondo has to do with
spiritual discipline aspect of it as well.
Sheila Radziewicz. Even though she lost both arms to congenital
Regarding the above, Taekwondowon was recently built in Muju County,
thrombocytopenia, she attained the black belt. The spiritual discipline
southwestern Korea. Constructed on a site spanning 2.3 million square
required in taekwondo helped her move forward and is further proof of
meters, it is set to become the mecca for all taekwondo lovers. The inside
how taekwondo can provide the inspiration necessary to overcome life-
of Taekwondo Stadium took its design inspiration from Korea’s traditional
threatening diseases.
taekwondo spirit, which encompasses heaven, earth, and human beings.
40 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 41
Korean Sports Coaches around the World Park Man-bok Peru’s National Women’s Volleyball Team Coach In Peru, Korean Park Man-bok is a legendary sports figure. Over the almost 20 years from 1974 to 1993 he served as the coach of Peru’s national women’s volleyball team, he earned the nickname Mambo Park in gratitude for helping turn the team into a world contender. What began as a one-year contract in 1974 turned into a series of contract renewals. By 1982, he had turned the team around, helping them finish in second place at the 1982 World Championships. Two years later, they would make it to the semi-finals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games before sweeping every one of their matches at the 1987 World Championships. Then, in 1988, the Peruvian women made it to the finals of the Seoul Olympics, only to lose the gold medal to the Soviet Union. Today, Park still serves as the executive director of Peru’s national women’s volleyball team.
For years, Park was able to harness the fine physical flexibility and strength of his South American players, which he then meshed with Korean-style techniques. At first, there was a storm of criticism over his rigorous training routines, but the concerns soon began to ebb, as the team played exceptionally well in the following years. After 38 years of living there, Park finally became a Peruvian citizen. He is so popular now that he actually appears in ads for Korean home electronics on roadside billboards throughout the capital of Lima.
Kim Ho-chul A Legendary Coach in the Italian Volleyball League Along with F1 and soccer, volleyball is one of the three most popular sports in Italy. In fact, Italy’s professional volleyball league is one of the world’s most competitive, and in this league a young man named Kim Ho-chul, who was not even six feet tall, once played. Before playing in the Italian league, Kim spent 10 years as the setter for Korea’s national team, starting in 1975. In that stretch, he helped Korea make it to the semi-finals in the 1978 World Championships in Rome. He also helped his team win the 1979 Summer Universiade in Mexico. In 1981, Kim was asked to play in Italy. However, this proved more difficult than anticipated because of his trouble adjusting to a new culture and a language he didn’t speak or even understand. Nevertheless, his passion for the game and hard work paid off. His club team, Parma, was an underdog that had never made it to the league finals before. After he joined, however, Kim helped Parma win two straight championships in 1981–82 and 1982–83. He was selected as the MVP both of those years, as well as best foreign player and league MVP as chosen by Italian sports
42 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 43
The city of Parma actually dedicated a poem to Kim in commemoration of his contribution to their volleyball team: “How can you fly so high when The Hyundai Capital volleyball team tossing their coach Kim Ho-chul into the air
you have such a small body? Are your hands made of gold? You will be the guardian of Parma forevermore.”
Lee Jang-soo The Star of China’s Chongqing Soccer Team journalists. Actually, his toss
Lee Jang-soo is a legendary soccer coach who took a perennial underdog
alone was so greatly respected
to the top of China’s professional soccer league. Today, Lee is dubbed the
that people used to refer to it
“Hiddink of China,” in reference to remarkable Dutch coach Guus Hiddink,
as “the toss of god.” In 1987, he
who became famous throughout Asia after leading South Korea to a fourth
joined the league’s best team,
place finish at the 2002 Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup.
Treviso, where he played for eight years.
Lee became coach of Chongqing’s soccer team in 1998. Chongqing was financially strapped at the time and was having trouble paying its
As soon as he retired from
coaches in the last six months, much
playing at the age of 40 in
less the players. After going unpaid
1995, he took up his new post
for months, players boycotted the
as Parma’s head coach. In his
team’s regular training sessions.
first year coaching, Parma
Chongqing remained in last place in
came in second. In 1997, he
China’s top soccer league.
became coach of the league’s best team, Treviso Sisley, leading the team
Lee’s three principles of honesty,
to the league finals that same year and earning the championship trophy
diligence, and communication
the following year. In 2000, he moved to the minors, where he became
brought about a massive change
Trieste’s coach. Kim helped Trieste win the minor league championships,
to the team. No matter what, Lee
allowing them to move up to the majors the following year. After serving
refused to relinquish any of these
as the coach of Italy’s national youth team, he returned to Korea in 2003,
principles. His persistence earned
16 years after leaving his home country.
him the nickname “Iron Leader.”
44 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 45
Lee was particularly adamant about not taking part in any match-rigging, something that was quite prevalent throughout the league at the time. Amazingly, he eventually led this underdog team to victory in China’s FA Championships, instantly earning him the nickname “Star of Chongqing.” His fan club soon had 10 million members, and when rumors started circulating about Lee moving to another team, thousands of supporters came together to talk him out of it, raising placards that they had written on in their own blood high up in the air. After leaving Chungqing, Lee would take the helm of three other teams in China’s pro soccer league—Qingdao, Beijing and Guangzhou—and make two of them, Qingdao and Guangzhou, into FA winners. While he was coaching Beijing, his team almost became the league champion, but Lee had to resign early over the team’s excessive meddling. During his time coaching in China, he set several new club records, including 118 victories
Korean archery coaches for various national teams, including the U.S., Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Spain, and Thailand, gathered at the 2012 London Olympics
in 268 games, 438 club points, and 405 goals scored. who was heading up the Mexican team, used to be Korea’s national team
Archery Coaches Who Conquered the World
coach, while Mexico’s archery coaches, Lee Sang-hyun and Woo Song-
There was something very interesting going on at the archery venue at the
themselves. On top of this, teams from Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, Georgia,
2012 London Olympic Games. A total of 12 national teams, a full 30 percent
Columbia, Egypt, and the Philippines had Korean coaches.
hee, both represented Korea on the national stage when they were archers
of the 40 countries represented, had a Korean coach each. Furthermore, all
All of these Korean coaches have applied uniquely Korean training
the semi-final archery matches had teams featuring a Korean coach, clear
principles to their coaching efforts, stressing the need for strong mental
evidence of Korea’s leading position in the sport.
discipline. Today, these Korean coaches have helped improve their
Italy actually had both a Korean director of operations, Seok Dong-eun, and a Korean coach, Park Young-sook. Mr. Seok had also led the British
respective national teams so much that they are actually matching or outperforming Korea’s own archers.
archery team in the past. Lee Kisik, who was leading the U.S. team, had also coached Australia’s archery team in the past. In addition, Lee Woong,
46 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 47
World-Famous Korean Athletes
Cha Bum-kun Cha Bum-kun was the first Korean soccer player to ever play in a
Sohn Kee-chung
professional European soccer league, and in 1972 he became the youngest soccer player to represent Korea. Over the course of his career, he played 121 matches at the national level and scored 55 goals. In 1978, he began playing in Germany’s Bundesliga, where he would score 98 goals in 308 matches over 10 seasons, earning the nickname “Tscha Bum (Cha Boom).” He won two UEFA cups, one as a member of FSV Frankfurt in 1980 and another with Bayer Leverkusen in 1988. He retired from the Bundesliga Sohn Kee-chung won the gold medal for Korea under the Japanese flag at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
in 1989 and returned to Korea to start a new career as a soccer coach. He served as the coach for Korea’s national team in the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, and was later named Asia’s Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.
Sohn Kee-chung, or Great Son, was a Korean marathon runner who won the gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, setting an Olympic record
Cha Bum-kun teaching soccer to a youth soccer team from East Timor
of 2 hours 29 minutes and 19.2 seconds along the way. As a German broadcaster said at the end of the race, “A Korean student has defeated the world’s greatest marathoners. This Korean ran with the strength and power of all Asians.” Because Korea was a Japanese colony at the time, Sohn was forced to run under the Imperial Japanese flag. In response to this, one editor of a Korean newspaper erased the image of the Japanese flag on Sohn’s chest from his picture on the winner’s podium at the Olympics, leading to the now famous “Erased Japanese Flag” incident at the Dong-A Ilbo. This move was meant to reflect the resistance of all Koreans against their imperial colonialists. The editor who erased the image of the Japanese flag from the picture was later arrested, and the newspaper shut down temporarily. 48 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 49
Hwang Young-jo
play man-on-man defense with him, a nod to his greatness in an otherwise
Hwang Young-jo won a gold medal in the
zone defense-oriented game.
1992 Barcelona Olympics marathon. It was
For six consecutive years, from 1996 to 2002, and twice more in the
56 years after Sohn Kee-Chung had also
2003–2004 and 2006–2007 seasons, Yoon was the leading scorer in the
struck gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Bundesliga. In total, he scored 2,751 goals, a record in the 42-year history
Hwang would later go on to win the 1994
of Bundesliga handball. He also played more than 250 games for the
Boston Marathon and claim gold at the
Korean national team and was selected as Player of the Year in 2001 by the
1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, solidifying his
International Handball Federation (IHF Welthandballer).
position as Korea’s top marathoner. After retiring in 1996, Hwang began to pursue a
Pak Se-ri
different career, and was named coach of
Pak Se-ri made her professional
Korea’s national marathon team.
debut in Korea in 1996 and topped the leaderboard at the LPGA test in 1997.
Yoon Kyung-shin
Just seven months after joining the
Yoon Kyung-shin is one of the world’s most
tour, Pak shot to fame when she won
legendary handball players, and played
the LPGA Championships in May 1998.
in five successive Olympic Games. He still
During the time, Korea was still suffering
holds the unprecedented record of being
from the aftereffects of the 1997 Asian
the leading scorer for six straight years in
financial crisis, but her legendary
Bundesliga, the German Handball League.
performance was of some consolation
There are 3,000 teams in five leagues in
to many Koreans. All of the female
Germany, and Yoon played for an underdog,
Korean golfers who have followed in
VfL Gummersbach, for 10 years, eventually
Pak’s footsteps are affectionately known
leading his team to first place over that
as “Se-ri Kids.”
Pak Se-ri makes her putt during the 2007 Lexus Cup Golf Tournament in Australia.
period of time. While he was playing in the
Pak went on to win the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open and was named the
Bundesliga, his opponents would have to
LPGA’s Rookie of the Year that same year. She has since won four other
(Top) Hwang Young-jo at the Barcelona Olympics marathon (Bottom) Yoon Kyung-shin takes a shot during the men’s handball preliminary match in the 2012 London Olympics.
50 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
majors, including the 2001 British Women’s Open and the 2002 LPGA Championships, becoming the youngest woman to ever win five majors. Korean Sports in the World 51
TIME, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated have all featured her in their
League over seven seasons, becoming the first Asian soccer player to
magazines, and in 2007 she became the first Asian golf player to be
actually touch the UEFA Champions League trophy. In July 2012, he signed
inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
with Queens Park Rangers FC, where European soccer fans expect he will contribute to making his new home a better, stronger team.
Park Ji-sung Park Ji-Sung is a Korean soccer player who plays midfield in the English
Choi Kyung-ju
Premier League. Park was a member of the Korean national team that
Choi Kyung-ju, nicknamed “Tank” for his strength and perseverance, was
finished in fourth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. His incredible strength
first Korean pro golfer to make the cut for the PGA Tour. He debuted as a
and endurance, allowing him to run at full speed for an entire 90-minute
professional golfer in 1993, ranking No. 1 in terms of total earnings for two
match, earned him the nickname “double-hearted oxygen tank.” Park was
straight years in 1996 and 1997. In 1999, he debuted on the JPGA and won
actually relatively unknown in Korean soccer circles. Guus Hiddink, the
two tournaments. In 2000, he arrived on the PGA Tour and became the first
national team coach for the 2002 World Cup, singled him out to play for
Korean to win a PGA tournament at the Compaq Classic in May 2002. In
Korea. In 2003, Park was recruited to play in Europe by Hiddink, who was
January 2003, he was the runner-up at the Mercedes-Benz Championship,
moving back to the Netherlands to coach PSV Eindhoven.
but would go on to win the 2003 Linde German Masters. In 2007, Choi
In July 2005, he signed with Manchester United, where he helped the
founded the K.J. Choi Foundation for students in need of financial help.
team win four Premier League titles and the 2007–2008 UEFA Champions Malaysian newspapers reporting Park Ji-sung’s transfer to the Queens Park Rangers FC
Choi Kyung-ju hits out of the sand trap during the 2012 AT&T National Golf Tournament in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Korean Sports in the World 53
Yang Yong-eun
is a three-time winner of the ISU Grand Prix Finals. Yang was the first Asian male golfer
Today, Kim serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Pyeongchang
to win a major PGA tournament.
Winter Olympics, and played a leading role in helping Korea win the bid for
Yang began playing golf at the age
the 2018 Winter Olympics. In addition, she ranked 7th on the Forbes Top 10
of 19 while working part time at a
Highest Earning Female Athletes list in 2012, making her the only Korean
driving range, where he collected
to crack the top ten.
balls. In 2003, he made his debut on the Japan Golf Tour, and in November 2006 he won the HSBC Champions Tournament, beating a strong field that included runnerup Tiger Woods. He moved on to
Kim Yuna is Korea’s most recognized international sports star. The gold medal winner of the ladies’ single event at the 2010 Winter Olympics, is currently the world’s highest ranked figure skater and holds several records.
the PGA Tour and won the PGA Honda Classic in March 2009. Most Yang Yong-eun holds up the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the PGA Championship golf tournament in 2009.
notably, he won the 2009 PGA Championship, where he came
from behind to defeat Tiger Woods. Yang continues to play on the PGA Tour today.
Kim Yuna Kim Yuna is Korea’s most famous female figure skater of all time. She captured gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games in women’s figure skating and won the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, where she set a new world record with a score of 207.71—the first time a female figure skater had ever scored more than 200 points. Kim would later shatter that record at the Vancouver Olympics with a score of 228.56. She also won the 2009 Four Continent Figure Skating Championships and
54 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 55
After debuting in 2005, Kim helped lead her team Pink Spider to three
Park Tae-hwan Park Tae-hwan is a Korean swimmer
straight seasons at the top of the league. In 2009, she joined Japan’s JT
who won the gold medal in the men’s
Marvelous, where she played 32 games and scored 805 points, making
400m freestyle at the 2008 Beijing
her the all-time leading scorer that season. In 2011, she was named female
Olympics, clocking in a time of just
MVP of Japan’s V League. Upon joining the European League, her team
3 minutes and 41.86 seconds. This
won the 2011-2012 European Champions League, and Kim was named MVP
marked the first time an Asian had
after leading the league in scoring.
won an Olympic medal in swimming since the 1936 Berlin Olympics. As surprising as the feat was, it was even greater for Korea, as the nation has traditionally not been very strong in swimming events. Although Park trained hard to win
Park Tae-hwan at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
his second gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, he had to settle for silver in both the 200m and 400m freestyle events.
Kim Yeon-kyoung
Kim Yeon-Kyoung competes against Japan in the women’s volleyball bronze medal match during the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Kim Yeon-kyoung is a professional volleyball player who was named the women’s volleyball MVP at the 2012 London Olympics, where she had 207 kills. She had more points than anyone else at the tournament, while also ranking third in successful kill percentage and seventh in successful
Forever the Moment
serves. She also ranked ninth in terms of her defense success rate, making
The movie Forever the Moment (2008) is a fictionalized account of the
her as potent on the attack as when defending against an opponent. The
Korean women’s handball team and their performance at the 2004 Athens
fact that Korea finished fourth is incredible when you consider that Kim
Olympics. In the gold medal match, Korea and Denmark were tied 19
was named MVP of the tournament, the first time a Korean volleyball
different times and were still tied after two overtimes. Unfortunately, Korea
player has won the award at the Olympics.
lost 4–2 in a penalty shootout. Still, the match was named one of the 10
56 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 57
most exciting games by the AP. The movie was directed by Lim Soon-rye. Although the sport is not very popular in Korea, the country’s handball teams are some of the world’s best. Forever the Moment not only brought
Celebrities in Love with Korean Sports
Korea’s handball program into the limelight, it is thought to be the first movie ever made to exclusively focus on handball. Since its release, Forever the Moment has remained popular and is a testament to how hard the Korean women’s handball team trains and plays. Silver medalists in Athens, the Korean women’s handball team finished fourth at the 2012 London Olympics. The movie Forever the Moment is based on the true story of the Korean women’s handball team that competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
58 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean sports now has its own overseas fan base just as K-pop does. The most famous example is taekwondo, a traditional Korean martial art that has fans all over the world. Hollywood star Chuck Norris recently made an interesting confession. His martial art career dates back to his service with the U.S. Air Force when he was serving in Korea. Indeed, Norris was Hollywood action movie star Chuck Norris stationed at Osan during the late 1950s when he first learned Tang Soo Do and taekwondo. It was these skills and techniques that shot him to fame back home as an action star. Besides taekwondo, he also learned Japanese martial arts such as judo and karate. Norris was named Fighter of the Year in 1969 in the U.S. and is a six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate Champion. By integrating all these martial arts together, Norris created his own style of martial art called Chun Kuk Do, a Korean-based American style of karate. Legendary baseball manager Tommy Lasorda is also a ardent Korean sports fan. Now in his late 70s, Lasorda still plays baseball and is a living legend in Major League baseball. He is also a big fan of Park Chan-ho, the first Koreanborn athlete to play professional baseball in the U.S. Lasorda is even quoted as once saying that he would rather trade his wife than give up Park. Lasorda himself recruited Park to the L.A. Dodgers from Korea in the mid-1990s. Lasorda not only looked after Park as a player, he also took a vested interest
Korean Sports in the World 59
in the young pitcher’s personal life so that Park could have an easier time adjusting to the different culture and language. “I’ve managed hundreds of players for more than two decades, but Park was the only one who ever sent me flowers on Father’s Day,” Lasorda once said. Park returned to Korea in 2012 and is now playing in the K-League, which is hardly surprising when you consider that it was Tommy Lasorda’s great wish for Park to go back home one day and play just as well there as he had in the U.S. Guus Hiddink is a Dutch soccer manager who has been quite active in professional European leagues for decades. One of Korea’s favorite foreign sportsmen, he has also said publicly that Korea is his favorite country. He served as head coach for Korea’s national soccer team during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where Korea finished fourth after defeating traditional European powerhouses like Italy, Spain, and Portugal. He is also praised for introducing Korean players to European professional soccer leagues. In fact, he was responsible for taking Park Ji-sung back with him when he returned to the Netherlands to manage PSV Eindhoven. After his contract there ended, Park moved on to Manchester United, where he played several memorable seasons.
To this day, Hiddink still visits Korea on a regular basis and gets together with 2002 team members to relive fond memories. In fact, Guus Hiddink calls Korea his second home. The Korean figure skating sector owes much to Brian Orser, the former Canadian figure skater who coached Korean figure skater Kim Yuna for just over three years. Under his leadership, Kim swept every major figure skating event, including the Winter Olympics and the World Championships, setting a new world record along the way. Orser worked hard to learn the Korean language and as much about Korean culture as he could. Koreans were touched when he said, “Being a coach is not just about teaching technique, but about teaching life lessons.” Thus, Orser not only taught Kim how to take her figure skating techniques to a higher level, he also how to achieve happiness through her skating. Last but not least, Anatoliy Byshovets is a Ukrainian soccer manager who worked with Korea’s national team for three years starting in 1994. A big fan of Korean sports, Byshovets says he still remembers the names of each of his Korean players and that he will always look back fondly on his time in Korea. Kim Yuna with her coach Brian Orser after her performance in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics
(Left) Tommy Lasorda with Park Chan-ho (Right) Guus Hiddink with the Korean national soccer team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
60 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports in the World 61
Chapter Three
EXPERIENCING K-SPORTS
K
orea’s first professional sports were boxing and wrestling. However, professional sports were not very popular in the country until 1982,
when Korea’s professional baseball league was created. Professional soccer (1985), basketball (1996), and volleyball (2004) leagues were formed soon afterwards. Professional associations for men’s and women’s golf, as well as for baduk, the Korean name for the board game Go, were established later on bringing the total number of professional sports leagues in Korea to 10. Koreans play outdoor sports like baseball and soccer from spring to autumn, and indoor sports such as basketball and volleyball in the wintertime. Korean professional sports teams have a special connection to their respective city and province. Each team has a home stadium, and supporters come from all over the team’s city and sometimes even
62 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 63
province to support their team. To date, Korea’s professional baseball league has the record for the highest attendance in a single season; 7 million people came out to one or more games in 2011. This record is
(Top) The YMCA Baseball Team with American missionary P. Gillett (Bottom) Korea won the Asian Baseball Championships in 1963.
expected to be broken in 2012, with projections seeing that number climb to 8 million by the end of the year. Professional soccer attracts 3 million fans to games every year, while men’s basketball brings in 1.1 million people every year to games. In 2010, some 320,000 people came out to volleyball matches, while Korea’s women’s basketball league saw 90,000 fans at its games. Going to a professional sports match in Korea is an unforgettable experience. Today, the country’s professional sports leagues have become major industries, with a great deal of money flowing through each organization from admission fees, income generated from related businesses, broadcasting rights, and sponsorship deals. Popular sports stars also make quite a lot of money by appearing in commercials.
Association (WABA) in 1949 and the World Baseball Federation (WBF) in 1954. Korea hosted the Asian Baseball Championships in Seoul in 1963, where it beat Japan to win the tournament. Korea again hosted and won the 9th Asian Baseball Championships in Seoul in 1971, and in 1977 it unexpectedly beat the U.S., Japan, and Latin American countries to win the
Professional Baseball The History of Korean Baseball
3rd Intercontinental Cup in Managua, Nicaragua. Established by the Korea
Baseball was first introduced to Korea in 1905 by the American missionary
Baseball Organization (KBO), Korea’s professional baseball league
P. Gillett, who taught Korean YMCA members how to play the game.
debuted in 1982 with six corporate-sponsored teams: the OB Bears, MBC
Korea’s first baseball matches were organized by the Chosun Sports
Blue Dragons, Haitai Tigers, Lotte Giants, Samsung Lions, and Sammi
Council (today’s Korean Olympic Committee) and held in November 1920
Superstars. Before the establishment of a professional baseball league,
for three days. Five student teams and five corporate teams took part in
high school baseball was very popular in Korea. High school baseball
this 1st Chosun Baseball Tournament.
teams not only had the support of their alumni, but also that of the local
In 1923, the Chosun Baseball Association (today’s Korea Baseball
residents. Several high school baseball games were held every year
Association) was established, and it joined the World Amateur Baseball
throughout the nation, and with the introduction of color televisions
64 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 65
baseball takes the WBC, and Korea is at the center” on its website. Korea’s baseball team finished fourth in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and won the bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Then, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the country won nine games in a row to secure the gold medal. After beating the U.S. on August 13, Korea went on to beat China, Japan, Taiwan, Cuba and the Netherlands. The KBO later named August 23 Baseball Day in commemoration of the nation’s first gold medal in baseball at the Olympics. By winning the Olympic gold medal, Korea proved it was one of the top baseball nations in the world, having defeated the world’s No. 1 amateur The opening ceremony of Korea’s first professional baseball game in 1982
throughout Korea in the 1980s, baseball TV ratings hit record highs. It was within this context that professional baseball teams were able to form a connection with individual cities all over the country.
baseball team, Cuba, and the world’s No. 1 professional baseball team, the U.S. Although many were surprised by this feat, none other than Fidel Castro, the former Cuban President, wrote an article for a local newspaper Park Chan-ho pitches during the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
By 1999, Korean professional baseball league had eight teams. During that time, the teams played in two different leagues depending on their performance in the previous year, but in 2001 it returned to being a single league. As of 2012, there are nine teams, eight of which are considered major league teams and one of which is a rookie team playing in the minor leagues. The major league teams are the Doosan Bears, Hanhwa Eagles, SK Wyverns, LG Twins, Kia Tigers, Lotte Giants, Samsung Lions, and Nexen Heroes. The ninth team, the NC Dinos, was established in 2011 with a connection to the city of Changwon, and starts playing in the majors from 2013. Over the years, Korean baseball has only gotten better. At the 1st World Baseball Classic (WBC) in 2006, Korea’s national baseball team won all five of the games leading up to the semifinal, with ESPN reporting “Asian 66 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 67
on August 25, 2008, in which he spoke very highly of Korea. Castro had in
This feat was nothing short of spectacular given Korean professional
fact been a very good baseball player in his younger days and had
baseball league’s relatively short history of less than 30 years at the time of
actually been scouted by a Major League team. In his article,
the record performance, especially considering the MLB has been around
Castro wrote, “Korean baseball players were like batting machines. Korea is a great team, especially with their
Ryu Hyun-jin
for 130 years and Japan’s professional baseball league for 70. In addition, Ryu Hyun-jin, the same pitcher whom Castro had praised, recorded wins for
star left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin, who threw a menacing
23 straight games during the 2010 season, surpassing the MLB record of 22
fastball and a variety of other pitches.”
consecutive games.
Korea’s baseball team also set a world record at the Beijing Olympics when Lee Dae-ho hit homeruns
Enjoying Professional Baseball
in nine straight games, eclipsing the previous record
Korean professional baseball has a regular season (pennant race); a post
of eight consecutive games in Major League Baseball (MLB)
season that consists of a semi-playoff, a playoff, and a Korean Series
and seven games in Japan’s professional baseball league.
game; and an All-Star game. All eight teams play at home and away all
Korean baseball team celebrates after winning the final match against Cuba at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
season long, and fans at each stadium have their own unique customs and traditions. This makes going to a Korean professional baseball game an experience unto its own, and something unlike going to a baseball game anywhere else. Up until several years ago, professional baseball fans were by and large males in their 40s. Today, however, baseball is popular with women as well. Statistics show that people in their 20s accounted for 50.4 percent of all tickets booked for baseball games in the first six months of 2012, followed by those in their 30s (30%), 40s (10.7%), and 50 and above (3.5%).
Lee Dae-ho
Interestingly, females accounted for 40.7 percent of all fans. Not only do women enjoy fried
Experiencing K-Sports 69
chicken and beer at the games, they also use the opportunity to show
will actually wear orange plastic bags on their heads as they cheer on
off the latest fashionable sports gear. Some women even go to baseball
the home team. The trash bags are handed out by stadium officials
games on dates these days.
beforehand for fans to cheer with during the game, and afterwards they
This has led to changes in stadiums and their facilities. Seoul’s Jamsil
can be used to throw out their garbage.
Stadium recently added coin-operated lockers for women who want to
At other stadiums, fans most commonly use balloon cheering sticks to
change clothes at the stadium, while Incheon’s Munhak Stadium has
root on their teams, with each team in the league having their own distinct
powder rooms for women. On Lady Day at their home games, the LG Twins
signature color: Kia’s is yellow, LG’s is red, Samsung’s is blue, Doosan’s is
select the most fashionable female fan and award her a prize.
white, Lotte’s is white, Nexen’s is pink and Hanhwa’s is orange.
One of the more exciting aspects of Korean baseball is how the fans
Each team’s fans have their own version of a popular Korean song. For
cheer on their teams. Busan fans are some of the most well-known fans in
instance, Kia’s is “Namhaengyeolcha” (Southbound Train), while the Lotte
the country, as they use orange plastic bags and newspapers shaped like
Giants have “Busan Seagulls.” To see 30,000 people singing together
dust bins to root for their team. You can even buy outdated newspapers
in a place like Busan’s stadium is like taking part in the world’s biggest
in front of Busan’s Sajik Stadium to take part in the action. Some people
karaoke room—it’s spectacular.
70 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 71
The food is another amazing part of going to a baseball game in Korea. Indeed, Koreans love eating and drinking while watching sports. Along with the typical fried chicken and beer vendors, each stadium has its
Professional Baseball Teams Samsung Lions
own favorite local snacks as well. Daegu’s stadium is famous for its fried
Established: 1982 | Home field: Daegu | www.samsunglions.com/en
dumplings, Gwangju for its jokbal (pig trotters), and Daejeon for its udong
that reservations be made well in advance to secure a seat. Incheon also
The Samsung Lions have won the Korea Baseball Championship finals five times (1985, 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2011). In 2011, it actually won the league championships and Korea Series. With its victory at the Asia Series, the Samsung Lions achieved the team Triple Crown and tournament MVP award.
has a Green Zone, where families can enjoy the game while sitting on a
SK Wyverns
(udon noodles). Incheon’s stadium features a barbecue area where fans can cook samgyeopsal (thinly sliced pork), though its 200 seats require
picnic mat, and a Homerun Zone deep in the outfield area, where couples
Established: 2000 | Home field: Incheon | eng.sksports.net
can have more privacy.
The SK Wyverns have made it to the Korea Series six times in their 12 seasons, winning it three of those times (2007, 2008, and 2010) and finishing as runner-up the three other times. It was the first Korean team to make it to the Korea Series five times in a row in the KBO’s 30-year history. The team also gives out baseball scholarships and runs an SK Wyverns Baseball Tournament for elementary and middle school teams.
Thanks to these and other measures taken by the teams and the league, more than seven million fans attended a Korean professonal baseball game in 2011, the highest number in the league’s history. Total attendance surpassed five million in 2006, when Korea finished fourth at the WBC, and did so again in 2008 when Korea struck Olympic gold in Beijing. That figure is expected to rise to 8 million people in 2012, a growth of 19 percent over the past year. Experts believe Busan fans cheering on the home team
attendance will pass the 10 million mark by 2013 when the ninth team joins the professional league
Lotte Giants Established: 1982 | Home field: Busan | www.giantsclub.com
The Lotte Giants play out of Busan, Korea’s second largest city. The team is known for its ardent baseball fans. The Giants have won twice (1984, 1992) and been runner-up twice (1995, 1999). In 2006, Lotte’s Lee Dae-ho won the Triple Crown. The team was also the first Korean professional baseball team to hire a non-Korean manager.
and because of the possibility of a tenth team being added in the future.
72 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 73
KIA Tigers Established: 1982 | Home field: Gwangju | www.kiatigers.co.kr
Originally known as the Haitai Tigers, the team was renamed in 2001. To date, it has made the Korea Series 10 times, winning each and every one of those times. When they were known as the Haitai Tigers, the team actually won the Korea Series trophy four years in a row, from 1986 to 1989. It also has the league record for making it to the finals eight years in a row.
Doosan Bears Established: 1982 | Home field: Seoul | www.doosanbears.com
Originally known as the OB Bears, the team was renamed several years ago and were winners of the first Korea Series in 1982, the year Korean professional baseball league was created. It also won in 1995 and 2011 and was the runner-up in 2000, 2005 and 2007. Also of note is that it was the first Korean professional baseball team to set up a website back in 1998.
LG Twins Established: 1982 | Home field: Seoul | www.lgtwins.com
Known as the MBC Blue Dragons in 1982, it was renamed after a merger with the LG Group in 1990. Two-time winners of the Korea Series, first in 1990 and then in 1994, the team shares the same home field (Jamsil Stadium) as the Doosan Bears. Despite strong support from its fans, the team has failed to advance to the post-season in recent years.
Hanhwa Eagles Established: 1986 Home field: Daejeon www.hanwhaeagles.co.kr/eng
The team was runner-up in the Korea Series in 1989 and 1991 but won in 1999, its first time in its 14 years in the league. Hanhwa made it to the semiplayoffs in 2005, where it defeated the SK Wyverns only to lose in the playoffs to the Doosan Bears. In 2006, it finished third in the Korea Series. Home to all-star pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, the team picked up Park Chan-ho in 2012.
Nexen Heroes Established: 2008 | Home field: Seoul www.heroes-baseball.co.kr
Nexen plays out of the stadium in Mok-dong, Seoul, which used to be home to the now-defuct Hyundai Unicorns. Although not owned and operated by a single corporate entity like other teams, it does allow companies to sponsor the team every year. It ranked seventh place in 2008 regular league, improved one place in 2009, then finished in seventh in 2010 and eighth in 2011.
NC Dinos Established: 2011 | Home field: Changwon | www.ncdinos.com
The NC Dinos joined the minor leagues in 2012 and will play its first professional game in 2013. The team plays out of Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, and has a special coaching system in place called the Spirit Coaching Program, in which specialists are invited to training to become mentors for the players.
74 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 75
first official soccer match was held in Korea two years later, although modern rules and equipment were not adopted until the 1920s. The Korea Football Association was established in 1948 and joined the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) that same year. Although Korea’s national soccer team played at the London Olympic Games in 1948, gaining worldwide recognition would prove to be an uphill battle. Nevertheless, Korea would go on to win the first and second Asian Cups in 1956 and 1960, emerging as Asia’s dominant soccer power. Since then, Korea has remained at the top of Asia’s rankings, along with Japan. Decades later, Korea stunned the world by finishing fourth in the 2002 World Cup, defeating numerous European powers along the way. In 2012, Korea proved its soccer prowess yet again when it won the bronze medal Captain Hong Myung-bo netted a goal during the last kicker of a penalty shoot-out against Spain in the 2002 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals.
at the London Olympics. In the wake of this huge achievement, China’s QQ.com site reported: “Korea captures the world by surprise again with the Olympics’ best
Professional Soccer The History of Korean Soccer
performance.” The same article went on to compare Korea’s soccer ability and esprit de corps to that of the now-famous German soccer team. It also pointed out that although Korea made use of its
Korea has a traditional game similar to soccer. Called chukguk (which sounds almost identical to chukgu, the Korean word for “soccer”), this sport dates back to the Silla dynasty a thousand years ago. According to Samguk Sagi (The History of Korea’s Three Kingdoms), the game involved kicking around a round-shaped object. Modern soccer was introduced to Korea by the crew of the British battleship Flying Fish, which anchored at Jaemulpo Harbor in 1882. However, it was not until 1904 that soccer became popular in Korea. Indeed, it was in that same year that a state-run foreign language school in Seoul adopted soccer as a regular part of its sports curriculum. The 76 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
home-field advantage back in the 2002 World Cup Park Ju-young
by finishing in fourth place, Korea truly lived up to their legend by defeating England on their own home turf in the quarterfinals of the men’s soccer tournament in the 2012 London Olympics. The article went on to praise Park Ju-young, who scored the first goal in the bronze medal match against Japan. BBC even chose his goal as the Goal of the Day,
Experiencing K-Sports 77
while one sportscaster from the American network NBC exclaimed, “Park
matches. The winner of the K-League, along with the FA Cup winner,
danced his way in and among three defenders for the opening goal. It was
qualifies to represent the K-League at the Asian Football Confederation
a superb goal.” Britain’s Daily Mail added, “Arsenal striker Park Ju-young
Champions League the following year. They also participate in the A3
set Korea on their way with a superb solo effort.”
Champions Cup, where teams from Korea, Japan, and China compete
Korea’s professional soccer league, the K-League, dates back to 1983,
against one another.
when it was comprised of five teams that traveled around nine major cities
The K-League is popular with millions of fans; more than three million
playing 40 matches in double leagues. Initially, it was a mix of professional
people attend league games each year. Yet soccer fans are a bit different
and amateur teams. In February 1987, the Korea Professional Football
from baseball fans. While baseball supporters follow the lead of the
Organization (KPFO) was established, laying the foundation for the nation’s
cheerleaders, soccer fans voluntarily organize supporter groups to create
professional soccer league. In 1989, a sixth team was created, the Ilhwa
their own way of cheering. FC Seoul and Gwangju FC have recently hired
Chunma. The Jeonbuk Hyundai and the Jeonnam Dragons were formed in
cheerleaders, but that is not very common in the K-League.
1994, while Samsung got a team
As a result, soccer fans appear to be somewhat simpler than baseball
in 1995, followed by a tenth team,
fans. They use drums, Korean gongs, flags, megaphones, and pickets to
Daejeon Citizen, in 1997. The
draw the attention of large audiences and help them unite in cheering and
number of soccer fans exploded
shouting. Some teams even use massive pictures. Soccer fans are also
after the 2002 FIFA World Cup,
A 2012 K-League game at the Seoul World Cup Stadium
with many regional governments creating teams of their own as well. At the moment, there are 16 Korea’s professional soccer league was established in 1983.
teams in the K-League, with all the teams having roughly 30 to 45 players each.
K-League Attracts 3 Million Fans to Games The K-League has adopted a “home & away” match format. Matches are usually held on Wednesdays and during the weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). Winners receive three points, while a draw gets each team one point. In addition to regular K-League games, there are several Cup
78 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 79
K-League Teams Gangwon FC Established: 2008 | Home field: Gangwon-do www.gangwon-fc.com
This was the first professional sports team established in Gangwon-do. After joining the league in 2009, the team demonstrated an aggressive and dynamic playing style. Unfortunately, Gangwon FC ended up in last place in 2011, and plans to finish eighth in 2012. Fans cheering for the Suwon Samsung Bluewings (left) and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (right)
Ulsan Hyundai Established: 1983 | Home field: Ulsan | uhfc.tv
After joining the league in 1984, Ulsan Hyundai has experienced a lot of success in the K-League. In fact, the team has made the city of Ulsan into a soccer city. It won the K-League in 2005 and 2011, and was runner-up in 2012.
known for using their scarves at games, with each team having their own colors and designs. Still, soccer fans are just as passionate as baseball fans. As they are volunteers—and not recruited by a company—they come to games ready to cheer. Korean support for their sports teams can be seen not just in K-League games, but during international matches as well. Thousands of
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Established: 1994 | Home field: Jeollabuk-do www.hyundai-motorsfc.com
Jeonbuk joined the league in 1995, earning its first victory in 2009 and topping the league in 2011. The team has scored an average of 2.23 goals per match in league play, the highest number in the league’s history. This is a testament to the team’s aggressive playing style.
people gather in public for these matches. Popular venues include those with huge screens, such as Seoul Square, Gwanghwamun Square, COEX Squar, and Seoul Race Park. Korea’s semi-final match against Germany in the 2002 World Cup drew a record-high 6.5 million people on the streets. To put it in perspective, that is 13 percent of Korea’s population, meaning one in seven Koreans were on the streets cheering for their national team. 80 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 81
Daejeon Citizen Established: 1996 | Home field: Daejeon | www.dcfc.co.kr
Pohang Steelers Established: 1973 Home field: Pohang www.steelers.co.kr/english
Established as POSCO’s corporate team in 1973, the Pohang Steelers transformed into a professional team in 1984. Home to many Korean soccer stars and national team players, the Pohang Steelers have won the K-League four times, the FA Cup twice, and the AFC Champions League three times. The team is well known for its modern operations and is home to Korea’s first soccer stadium, which was completed in 1990.
Busan I-Park
After joining the K-League in 1997, it finished the season in 7th place, and 19,000 fans swarmed Daejeon’s World Cup Stadium in 2001 to watch them win the FA Cup for the first time in its history. At 77.3 percent, its home-field winning percentage was the highest of all the 12 teams in 2003. Later, in 2007, the team made it to the Top 6 Playoffs.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings Established: 1995 | Home field: Suwon | www.bluewings.kr
Suwon Samsung swept the second stage of the K-League in its first year in 1996. Since then, the team has been four-time winners of the K-League, three-time winners of the FA Cup, two-time winners of the Asian Club Cup and Asian Super Cup, and six-time winners of the League Cup. In 2011, the team made it to the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League and was runner-up of the FA Cup while also ranking fourth in the K-League.
Established: 1983 | Home field: Busan busanhaps.com/busan-ipark-soccer
FC Seoul
First called the Daewoo Royals and then renamed later on, the team is home to many members of the Korean national team. Its glorious history includes winning the K-League and Cup matches in 1997; the K-League Champion title again in 1984, 1985, 1991 and 1997; the 2009 League Cup; and second place in the 2010 FA Cup and 2012 League Cup.
Using Seoul World Cup Stadium as its home field, FC Seoul was established as the Lucky Geumsung Bulls but later renamed the LG Cheetahs and then the Anyang LG Cheetahs, finally receiving its current name in 2004. A strong team that is famous for producing famous soccer stars like Park Ju-young and Ki
Established: 1983 | Home field: Seoul | fcseoul.com
Gwangju FC Established: 2010 | Home field: Gwangju | www.gwangjufc.com
Gwangju FC joined the K-League in 2011 and was created at the request of Gwangju soccer fans. In its first year, the team set a record as a publicly owned team, ranking 11th in the K-League. The average age of its team roster is the youngest in the league.
82 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 83
Sung-yong, it won the K-League and League Cup in 2010. It holds the record in the K-League for attracting the largest number of fans in a single season, and attracts an average of 30,000 people per game.
Sangju Samgmu Phoenix
won the FA Cup in 1999 and won the K-League three years in a row yet again in 2011. In 2006, the team won its seventh K-League title. It also won the AFC Champions League in 2010 and the FA Cup in 2011. In 2000, it changed its home field to Seongnam.
Established: 2011 | Home field: Sangju | www.sangjufc.co.kr
Jeju United
Consisting of soccer players who are serving in the military, the Sangju Samgmu Phoenix was created to help players stay at their peak performance levels while serving in the military. Even though its home field is located in the small city of Sangju, the team drew more than 15,000 fans to its opening match in 2011. Although it started off strong in 2011, the team ended up finishing in 14th place.
Established: 1982 | Home field: Jeju | www.jeju-utd.com
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
Established under the name Yukong Elephant in 1982, the team joined the league in 1983 and now has the longest history of playing in the league. It moved to Bucheon after the introduction of decentralization policy in 1996, but moved to Jeju in 2006. It finished second in the regular league in 2010. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2012, the team is determined to regain its former glory.
Established: 1989 | Home field: Seongnam | esifc.com
Incheon United
Established in connection with the city of Seoul in 1989, Seongnam Ilhwa set a league record by winning the championship for three straight years, from 1993 to 1995. They
Established: 2004 | Home field: Incheon | www.incheonutd.com
Incheon United finished first overall in the regular league in 2005 and advanced to the championship round, where it finished second, accomplishing something no other K-League team had in its first season. The team then made it to the Round of 6 in the 2009 season. In 2006, Incheon United became the first publicly owned K-League club to turn a profit. The team plays out of Sungui Soccer Stadium, which was completed in 2012.
Jeonnam Dragons Established: 1994 | Home field: Jeollanam-do www.dragons.co.kr
The Jeonnam Dragons have successfully reignited people’s passion for soccer. Now playing out of Gwangyang, the team has been runner-up in the K-League and League Cup and was the winner of the FA Cup in its second year. In 1999, it was the runner-up in the Asian Cup Winners’ Cup. The Jeonnam Dragons were also two-time victors in the FA Cup in 2006 and 2007, and features several national team players on its roster. 84 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 85
Gyeongnam FC Established: 2005 | Home field: Changwon www.gyeongnamfc.com
Owned by residents of the province, Gyeongnam FC joined the K-League in 2006. Since its establishment, it has finished in the middle of the pack most seasons, ending a high fourth place in the 2007 season. Home to notable players such as Kim Juyoung and Kim Dong-chan, the team has done very well with its trades. Gyeongnam FC is expected do even better in the future.
Daegu FC Established: 2002 | Home field: Daegu | www.daegufc.co.kr
Established after the 2002 World Cup, Daegu FC is a publicly owned team that played its first regular season in 2003. Many prospective players on the team have risen to prominence and been selected for Korea’s national team. The team ranked fourth at the beginning of the 2011 season.
Mountain climbers at Mt. Bukhansan
Hiking and Rock Climbing Korea is an extremely mountainous country: its capital city, Seoul, is surrounded by Mt. Bugaksan, Mt. Inwangsan, Mt. Bukhansan, Mt. Dobongsan, Mt. Buramsan, Mt. Cheonggyesan, and Mt. Gwanaksan. In cities like Paris or Tokyo, if you want to look over the city, the only way to do so is by going up a manmade structure like the Eiffel or Tokyo Tower. In Seoul, however, you can do so from any of the numerous places to go hiking and rock climbing. As a former U.S. ambassador to Korea once said, “There’s no place like Seoul. You can look down at the city from the peak of several mountains.” Thus, it is no surprise that Koreans love to go hiking on the weekends, an activity popular with both sexes and with people of all ages. According to statistics released by the Korea Forest Service in 2010, 15 million Koreans aged 19 to 69 go hiking on a mountain at least once a month. 86 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 87
Night hiking (left) and rock climbing (right) on Mt. Bukhansan
wonderfully shaped rocks at their peaks. As a result, you can choose from any of the number of rock climbing locations within an hour of Seoul. This makes living in Korea unique; in countries There were even 5.48 million Koreans who go hiking every week. People
such as the U.S. or Japan, and even throughout Europe, it takes quite a
go hiking with clubs or with company colleagues, choosing the mountain
while to get to a challenging rock climbing area. Some people even go
or path that best suits their purpose. Some even go hiking after work on
rock climbing at night so they can soak in Seoul’s beautiful nightscape, a
Fridays. With many of these hiking paths located just an hour outside of
unique experience for such a heavily populated urban center.
Seoul, it is possible to get home before midnight, even if you start your
Rock climbing in Korea got off the ground in 1925 when the first rock
hike when the sun goes down. After going for a night hike, many Koreans
climbing route ascending Mt. Bukhansan’s peak at Insubong (810.5m)
enjoy visiting a public sauna, where they can relax their muscles.
was developed. As the story goes, Japanese and British men who climbed
For the serious mountaineers, rock climbing is another option in Korea.
Insubong used to put their business cards, as well as documents recording
Due to the way in which Korea’s mountains were formed, most notably
their rock climbing efforts, into a bottle, which they then left at the top
the way in which weather and erosion exposed huge blocks of granite,
of Insubong. The rock climber, environmentalist and outdoor industry
the Korean peninsula is home to some very unusual rock formations. Mt.
businessman Yvon Chouinard explored two more rock climbing paths at
Bukhansan and Mt. Dobongsan are good examples of this, as they have
Insubong in 1963.
88 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 89
Since then, many more rock climbing routes have been opened at
All of these bike paths form part of a larger nationwide network. In
Insubong, which is now home to 60 routes. Meanwhile, Mt. Dobongsan’s
fact, a 1,757-km path called the Four-River Cross-Country Bike Road that
Seoninbong Peak (708m) has 40 paths. All of these routes cover a variety
goes all the way from Seoul to Busan was completed in 2012. Everyone
of levels, from beginner to expert, making them extremely popular,
who completes this journey by bike is awarded with a certificate. In the
especially during the holidays. Some of the most popular routes even have
first four months the path was open, 23,000 people traveled on it. Of
a long waiting line. One of these is the Leopard Route at Mt. Dobongsan,
this number, 1,100 people covered the entire 1,757km pathway, which
as it has all kinds of rocks, including a rock face (a cliff with a slant greater
covers Korea’s four major rivers: the Hangang River, Geumgang River,
than 80 degrees), a slab (a gentle cliff with less than an 80-degree slant),
Youngsangang River, and Nakdonggang River.
and a crack (a narrow opening of rocks). Conquering the Leopard Route will make you a true rock climber.
The Korean government is now building three more bike paths that will span 931km and include areas along the country’s east coast, the Seomjingang River, and the Seoul-Chuncheon corridor. The SeoulChuncheon Bike Path will connect to the Namhangang Bike Path which
Biking In the past, the most popular biking sport in Korea was mountain biking
Opened in October 2011 and saw 300,000 visitors in its first 10 months. Namhangang Bike Path
(MTB), as Koreans loved taking advantage of the country’s mountainous terrain. Given the easy access to mountains and the thrill of the sport itself, it was no wonder that MTB became popular so quickly. Today, there are hundreds of MTB clubs nationwide whose members enjoy hiking and biking on mountains every weekend. What is different today, however, is that the government has built bike lanes in downtown corridors, making road biking more popular than ever before. Not only is bike riding healthy, it is also an environmentally friendly means of transportation. In line with its green growth initiative, the Korean government is committed to providing bikers its full support. Bike paths have been built along rivers, the sea, and other places that afford a nice view. Bike paths have even been constructed on the sites of former railroads.
90 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 91
repair bicycles, as well as bicycle parking, are also mandatory. At railroad stations throughout the country there are now places to lock up a bike in addition to bike paths. Trains also have reserved spots for storing bikes, making it easy to get around Korea by train or subway when with a bike.
Four River Cross-Country Bike Road Bukhangang Bike Path (150km) Seoul-Chuncheon Bike Path (31km) Ara Bike Path (21km)
East Coast Bike Path (720km)
Seoul
Gangwon-do
Hangang Bike Path (Seoul, 56km) Gyeoggi-do
Namhangang Bike Path (132km) Chungcheongbuk-do
Saejae Bike Path (100km)
Chungcheongnam-do
Gyeongsangbuk-do
Daejeon
Bukhangang Bike Path Daegu
The bike path along the east coast will start in the north at the
Jeollabuk-do
Geumgang Bike Path (146km)
Busan
Unification Observatory in Goseong, Gangwon-do, and go all the way south to Busan’s Eulsukdo islet, spanning a total of 720km. This seaside bike path will bypass 120 sand beaches as well as eight notable historic
Gwangju Jeollanam-do
Nakdonggang Bike Path (389km)
sites on the east coast. The Seomjingang Bike Path will connect the
Seomjingang Bike Path (180km)
Seomjingang Dam in Imsil, Jeollabuk-do province, to Gwangyang, South
Yeongsangang Bike Path (133km)
Jeollanam-do, spanning a total of 154km. The road passes by some outstanding natural beauty along Mt. Jirisan and the Seomjingang River.
Gyeongsangnam-do
Jeju-do
According to recently passed legislation, any new city in Korea must ensure it has a bike path into and out of the city. Places to rent and 92 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Experiencing K-Sports 93
Chapter Four
KOREAN SPORTS INFRASTRUCTURE
A Victory for Sports Science Korea won the gold medal in men’s vault at the 2012 London Olympics, and this victory can be attributed to sports science. Indeed, Korean sports scientists calculated the optimal speed and timing needed to accomplish such a leap. The best timing turned out to be 0.15 seconds, while the optimal angle of one’s arms against the body was 22 degrees. This was determined to be the best way to stay in the air longer and maximize one’s spin. Then, researchers used science to customize an athlete’s optimal conditions, setting goals tailored to each athlete’s individual body frame. This is what helped Korean athletes win as many medals as they did at the London Olympics. All this research and hard work was carried out by the Korea Institute of Sports Science (KISS). Founded in 1980, the institute’s mandate is to 94 K-MOVIE A New Force in Pop Music
Korean Sports Infrastructure 95
foster professional athletes with the help of sports science. KISS has a
Korea also won the gold medal in the men’s 10,000m event and won two
number of researchers who specialize in sports dynamics, psychology,
other silver medals as well.
and physiology.
In a feature article, the U.S.-based sports webzine Bleacher Report
These scientists assist athletes in reaching their maximum potential right
analyzed the reasons behind Korea’s remarkable accomplishments in the
up until the moment they compete in an event. They also study and analyze
Vancouver Olympics, stating: “The Korea Skating Union entrusted KISS
the performance of other athletes in all kinds of international competitions
with analyzing the physical strengths and responses of each individual
and relay this information to Korean athletes. Five of these researchers
athlete. Based on the results, each athlete received a customized
actually accompanied the Korean Olympic team to London in 2012.
training program with clear goals and objectives. KISS even studied the
KISS was also behind the success of 400m freestyle gold medalist
conditions and ice temperature of the Richmond Olympic Oval Track
swimmer Park Tae-hwan at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, who would go
to prepare Korea’s athletes for the event.” According to the Bleacher
on to win two silver medals in London as well. While preparing for the
Report, this thorough preparedness was the primary reason behind the
Beijing Olympics, Korea’s swim team coach created a five-month intensive
country’s amazing Olympic performance. They went on to add that Korea’s
course in concert with KISS. The
success would likely stimulate more investment in sports science by
institute also built a scientific
its competitors, with Korea’s performance being used as a benchmark
database with the help of a special
around the world.
speed gun developed by KISS, which significantly contributed to improving Park’s performance. During the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Korea’s speed skaters did extremely well. Up until then, Koreans had only excelled in short track speed skating, but Korea was able to capture gold medals in men’s and women’s 500m speed skating in Vancouver, Korea’s first ever gold medals in both events. Mo Tae-bum competes in the men’s 500m speed skating event at the Richmond Olympic Oval during the 2010 Vancouver Games. A New BreedOlympic of Rising Champions
96 K-SPORTS Source: SM Entertainment
Three Training Centers: Home to Gold Medalists The Taereung Training Center is the place every Korean athlete wants to train. Constructed in 1966, it is the national training center for all national team members. Those fortunate enough to represent Korea in an international sporting event such as the Olympics or the World Cup will have training here at some point in their careers. The Taereung Training Center can accommodate up to 300 athletes and is equipped with training facilities for all sports; it even has its own Olympic-size indoor swimming pool. KISS is located nearby, which makes
Korean Sports Infrastructure 97
2
1
3
Korean national fencing (1), judo (2), and shooting (3) team athletes training at Taereung and Jincheon training centers
it easy for researchers to monitor each athlete’s training and physical
here for swimming and shooting, among other sports. In the future, the
conditioning.
Jincheon Training Center will be expanded to accommodate up to 800
There is another training center located in Taebaek. Equipped with the latest accommodation and training facilities, including a track, the
athletes and 25 different sports. In addition to basic training facilities, it will also have state-of-the-art medical and sports science facilities.
Taebaek Training Center at Mt. Hambaeksan is specifically for high-altitude
Korea is also home to a number of other leading sports facilities that are
training and is designed to strengthen one’s cardiopulmonary functions.
run by the private sector, one of which is the Park Ji Sung Football Center,
For winter sports such as skiing and biathlon, Muju Camp is located on Mt.
founded by Korea’s first premier league soccer player, Park Ji-sung. A living
Deogyusan.
sports legend in Korea, Park contributed KRW 1.5 billion (USD 1,360,000)
In October 2011, a new sports facility was completed in Jincheon. The
to this center for aspiring soccer players between the ages of 6 and 13.
Jincheon Training Center is equipped with cutting-edge facilities, including
The center is equipped with two grass fields and state-of-the-art physical
excellent accommodation and training grounds for national team athletes.
training facilities. Prospective young soccer players can receive the
Many members of Korea’s 2012 London Olympic delegation trained
nation’s top training at a very reasonable price here.
98 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports Infrastructure 99
Sports Education Korea has a system in place to foster the development of young athletes into national team members. The country also has several middle and high schools that specialize in teaching sports. Furthermore, the Korean government earmarks a significant amount of money every year to training future sports prospects, purchasing facilities and equipment, and supporting athletes at numerous sporting events. With the support of this money, prospective athletes can participate in several national and international sporting events to help improve their skills.
University leagues have 69 soccer teams and 12 basketball teams, and the most outstanding players are selected to a junior national team for the Universiade or other international junior sporting events. From these men and women, only a handful will ever be chosen to represent Korea at the national level. These national team members are then admitted to one of the country’s training centers in Taereung or Jincheon for intensive scientific training before actually representing Korea on the international stage at events like the Asian Games, Olympics or World Cup. National team members are only selected after intensive competition. In fact, it is said that in archery, being selected for the Korean national team is more difficult than winning the Olympic gold medal due to Korea’s depth of talent in this field. In Korea, athletes are separated into four different categories: elementary school, middle school, high school, and adult. The number of registered athletes in Korea grew from 112,000 in 2005 to 139,000 in 2010. All of these athletes are also members of associations related to their respective sport. From fencing, golf, karate, and archery to tennis, hockey and handball, there are a total of 58 sports associations in Korea.
Korean youngsters playing a soccer match
The same applies to adult athletes as well. There are 102 universities with sports clubs in Korea; members of these sports clubs are often on scholarship and compete with each other to heighten their athletic skills.
100 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Korean Sports Infrastructure 101
APPENDIX Park, D. K., Schein, A. (2006) Tae Kwon Do Basics, Techniques and Forms: The
Further Reading
Indomitable Martial Art of Korea. Invisible Cities Press Llc. Rhee, J. (2011) Bruce Lee and I. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Whang, S. C., Whang, J. C. (1999) Taekwondo: The State of the Art. Three Rivers Press
Books on Korean Sports Horne, J., Manzenreite, W. (Eds.) (2002) Japan, Korea and the 2002 World Cup. Routledge
Korean Sports Association Websites Korea Kumdo Association
www.kumdo.org
Korea Golf Association
www.kgagolf.or.kr
Korea Karate Federation
www.karatedo.or.kr
Koios, E. R. (2012) Sport in South Korea. Tract
Korea National Archery Association
kungdo.sports.or.kr:8088
Ok, G. (2007) Transformation of Modern Korean Sport: Imperialism,
Korea Modern Pentathlon Federation
www.pentathlon.or.kr
Nationalism, Globalization. Hollym International Corporation
Korea Basketball Association
www.koreabasketball.or.kr
Korea Billiards Federation
kbf.sports.or.kr
Korean Federation of Dancesport
www.kfds.or.kr
Korea Rugby Union
www.rugby.or.kr
Korea Luge Federation
luge.sports.or.kr
Books on Taekwondo
Korea Wrestling Federation
www.wrestling.or.kr
Chun, R. (2007) Tae Kwon Do: The Korean Martial Art. Ymaa Publication Center
Korea Biathlon Union
www.korbia.or.kr
Korea Amateur Baduk Association
www.kbaduk.or.kr
Korea Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation
bodybuilding.sports.or.kr
Korea Bowling Congress
www.bowling.or.kr
Kroea Bobsleigh Skeleton Federation
www.bob.or.kr
Korea Volleyball Association
www.kva.or.kr
Badminton Korea Association
www.koreabadminton.org
Joo, R. M. (2012) Transnational Sport: Gender, Media, and Global Korea. Duke University Press Books
Randall, K. (2011) Korean Games & Sports: Modern and Traditional. Hollym International Corporation
Cook, D. (2006) Traditional Taekwondo: Core Techniques, History and Philosophy. Ymaa Publication Center Gillis, A. (2011) A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do. ECW Press Kailian, G. S. (2010) Sport Taekwondo Referee Primer. Word Assn Pub
102 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
Further Reading 103
Korea Skating Union
www.skating.or.kr
Korea Triathlon Federation
www.triathlon.or.kr
Korea Shooting Federation
www.shooting.or.kr
Korea Gymnastic Association
www.gymnastics.or.kr
Korea Cycling Federation
www.cycling.or.kr
Korean Canoe Federation
www.canoe.or.kr
Korean Alpine Federation
www.kaf.or.kr
Korea Curling Federation
curling.sports.or.kr
Korea Softball Federation
softball.sports.or.kr
Korea Taekwondo Association
www.koreataekwondo.org
Korea Waterski and Wakeboard Association
www.waterskinet.org
Korean Taekkyon Federation
www.taekkyon.or.kr
Korea Swimming Federation
swimming.sports.or.kr
Korea Tennis Association
www.kortennis.co.kr
Korea Underwater Association
kua.sports.or.kr
Korean Fencing Federation
fencing.sports.or.kr
Korea Squash Federation
koreasquash.or.kr
Korea Kabaddi Association
kabaddi.sports.or.kr
Korea Ski Association
ski.sports.or.kr
Korea Hockey Association
www.koreahockey.co.kr
Korea Equestrian Federation
kef.sports.or.kr
Federation of Korea Aeronautics
www.fkaero.or.kr
Korea Sepaktakraw Association
sepaktakraw.sports.or.kr:8088
Korean Handball Federation
www.handballkorea.com
Korea Ssireum Association
ssireum.sports.or.kr
Korea Ice Hockey Association
www.kiha.or.kr
Korea Baseball Association
korea-baseball.com
Korea Archery Association
www.archery.or.kr
Korea Weightlifting Federation
www.weightlifting.or.kr
Korea Orienteering Federation
www.orienteering.or.kr
Korea Sailing Federation
www.ksaf.org
Korea Judo Association
judo.sports.or.kr
Korea Wushu Association
wushu.sports.or.kr
Korea Association of Athletics Federations
www.kaaf.or.kr
Korea Roller Sports Federation
www.krsf.or.kr
Korea Soft Tennis Association
softtennis.sports.or.kr
Korea Rowing Association
rowing.sports.or.kr
Korea Football Association
www.kfa.or.kr
104 K-SPORTS A New Breed of Rising Champions
About the Author Won Hee-bok Won Hee-bok graduated from Konkuk University’s College of Political Science, and has been a reporter since 1987. He was the head of the Kyunghyang Shinmun ’s national desk and editor-in-chief of the Weekly Kyunghyang , the Kyunghyang Shinmun ’s weekly current affairs magazine. He was also the head of the news and entertainment desks of the Sports Kyunghyang , a stablemate of the Kyunghyang Shinmun . He wrote A Critical Biography of Minjok Ilbo President Jo Yong-su through the National Union of Media Workers in 1994, for which he received a Democratic Citizen Media Award from the Citizens’ Coalition for Democratic Media. He now does front-line coverage as a senior reporter for the Kyunghyang Shinmun .
Credits Planner Writer Translator
Global Communication and Contents Division Won Hee-bok Richard Harris, Hong Ji-young
Edited & Designed by Seoul Selection
Photographs Korean Olympic Committee, Korea International Cooperation Agency, Kukkiwon Yonhap Photo, Newsbank Image, Robert Koehler, Ryu Seung-hoo