::A Geek in Korea::

I’ve been in Korea for the 2002 World Cup and Olympics, 2006 World Cup and Olympics, and now the 2008 Olympics. Whenever a large sporting event involving Koreans takes place, you can usually guess the outcome without ever turning on the television. All you need to do is leave your window open and wait for the cheers and shouting.

This year, I was preparing for the friends to visit for my D&D game when I heard the first bit of cheers from the Olympics. I turned on the television to see Park Tae Hwan swim to the medal qualifying heat. 42.1% of Korean households were watching the exact same thing. I’m blown away by that number.

If it seems like everyone is watching the same thing and cheering for their players, that’s because they are. All you have to do is listen though, and you know it’s true. There is a collective cheer or groan whenever any Korean player wins or loses. It’s like watching the Superbowl in a sports bar from the bathroom, except it happens for weeks straight. You know SOMETHING’s happened by the sound, and you just need to join in with everyone else to follow what is going on.

We were eating a meal and heard a large cheer spring up outside. “Oh, looks like there is something on television.” We headed over, turned on Mixed Badminton, and watched Korean win a gold medal. There was a cheer outside every time they won a game. When they scored a final cheer, there was a small roar.I didn’t even know mixed sex sports were in the Olympics, and didn’t know that badminton was a sport anyone would get that excited about.

It might have only been badminton in my eyes, but I think there was more energy spent cheering for badminton that I had ever witnessed before. The cheer after yesterday’s Korea’s Olympic Baseball win against Japan was several times louder.

Being around for the World Cup in 2002 when it was hosted in Korea, I know that all this cheering is actually very subdued. When someone scored a goal in the Korean World Cup, you didn’t just hear it, you could FEEL the ground shake. It was amazing, and a little terrifying. There would be parties, and cars honking in celebration for hours, drunking shouting all night. It was great.

I think I can tolerate a little bit of shouting from time to time, even if I don’t get what the big deal is about badminton.