The cheerleaders, mascots and fans of the pro baseball teams Suwon KT Wiz and Seoul LG Twins on Nov. 7, 2023, cheer for their respective squads in the first round of the Korea Baseball Organization playoffs at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap News)

By Margareth Theresia

Clap, clap. "(Player), hit! (Player), home run!"

Professional baseball has awoken from its long winter hibernation. The opening game of the 2024 season on March 23 saw plenty of fanfare at packed stadiums with applause, singing and cheering for the teams by fans, who had waited months for the sport to resume.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) that day said a combined 103,841 spectators filled the nation's five main stadiums, the third highest on record.

With each team playing 144 games over six months, the league is composed of 10 teams and nine stadiums, with the regular season starting in late March or early April every year. The top five teams advance to the playoffs.

Though many fans flock to stadiums to support their favorite teams, many others go to enjoy cheering.

A 2018 survey by the Korea Professional Sports Association on 7,010 fans found that 71.1% said they go to stadiums because "cheering is fun."

So how do the fans support the players by cheering? A closer look at the passionate practice offers the answers.

First, wearing the uniform of one's favorite player is a must. Another crucial element is cheering songs, as the Korean way of cheering is different from those of other countries.

When a pitcher takes the mound, music signaling his appearance resonates throughout the stadium. When a batter appears, a song marks his entrance and boosts his morale.

The variety of dynamic cheers throughout the game includes those to keep the opposing team in check, full count, lineup and victory.

Unlike in Korea, games of the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) are often watched quietly. Thus foreign media paid a lot of attention to Korean cheering culture at the 2024 MLB World Tour: Seoul Series from March 20-21. 

Spectators on March 24 cheer at a game between the Busan Lotte Giants and Incheon SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon's Michuhol-gu District as part of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League. (Yonhap News)

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the fight songs must have sounded really loud to the first and third basemen and described Korea's cheering culture as "very refreshing." He said music played each time a batter appeared, something he said went well, and felt how passionate and energetic Korean fans were.

 
Foreign media also covered Korean cheering culture at a baseball game.

In its March 19 article "'Get Ready to Scream': How to Be a Baseball Fan in South Korea," The New York Times explained the nation's fight songs and dances.

MLB's official site on March 17 posted the article "Going to game in Korea isn't complete without cheer squads, players' songs" on its official website and explained the nation's cheering culture. 

Oh Myung-sip, who played the role of "cheermaster" for the Dodgers in the Seoul Series, explained to MLB in an interview such culture including the cheering squad, cheerleaders, fight songs and dances.

The MLB article said the cheering squad plays a significant role in cheering at a baseball game. The cheermaster of each cheering squad leads fan cheering from beginning to end in a game.

In between innings, a team's cheerleaders and mascots perform in developing camaraderie among fans and raising the energy level at the stadium.

With the nation's baseball cheering culture growing in global popularity, the government has started to promote it. 

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on March 26 invited foreign media to watch a game between the Incheon SSG Landers and Daejeon Hanwha Eagles at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon's Michuhol-gu District and displayed the marketing strategies and cheering culture of Korean pro baseball.

"We hope that foreign reporters fully feel the appeal of Korean pro baseball like the passion of our baseball fans and unique cheering culture and introduce them abroad," said Yong Ho-seong, director-general of the ministry's Global Public Relations Content Division. 

"We hope this leads to sports Hallyu (Korean Wave), with fans abroad visiting Korea."

Spectators on Aug. 13, 2023, watch a game between the Seoul Kiwoom Heroes and Seoul LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul's Songpa-gu District as part of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League. (Margareth Theresia)

The following are tips for foreign fans who want to enjoy Korean baseball.

First, learn a fight song. To enjoy a baseball game in Korea, see the team's social media and practice its fight song. Also important is to remember the names of players and their entrance songs to cheer along.

Second, reserve tickets. Before doing so, check which is the home team and which is the visiting one. Ticket prices vary depending on stadium but start from KRW 7,000. To get the full experience of the nation's cheering culture, reserve a "cheering seat" in front of the cheering squad to get immersed in the atmosphere of the game.

Finally, be aware of the rules, which change almost every year. Among the biggest revisions this year are the introduction of an automated ball-strike system, trial pitch clock, limit on defensive shifts and larger bases.

margareth@korea.kr