The differences in business culture between the UK and South Korea are well documented - are there similar differences in football? We went to the clash between arch North Asian rivals Korea and Japan to find out.
Like most of the 62,000 who went to the match, we travelled by metro - ticket price, the equivalent of 50 pence. It’s crowded, but very orderly, with fans queuing at the designated boarding points on the station platform. When we arrive at the stadium station the air is full of the smell of barbecued squid - no hamburgers here! Street vendors do a roaring trade selling local delicacies, cold beer and replica shirts – the crowd is dressed predominantly in the red of the home team. Pretty girls wear illuminated red devil horns signalling their allegiance to the "Red Devils" of Korea. Families, couples and groups of workers dominate - the crowd more varied than you would find in the UK.
The Seoul World Cup stadium is a fine example of regeneration - a world class stadium holding 67,500, with not a bad seat in the house, built on a landfill site. Built in to the stadium are a series of shops and restaurants, including a Tesco supermarket and fast food outlets where fans buy fried chicken, pizza and cold beer to take in to the match - there are no restrictions in Korea!
We have great seats in the front row, behind one of the goals. We are in a "mixed" section, predominantly red, but with a scattering of fans supporting the "Blue Samurai". The section next to us is full of vociferous and colourful Japanese fans who chant, jump and sing in unison for the next two hours. Even amongst the bitterest of rivals, there is no need to segregate the crowd in Korea. Sadly for most of the crowd their hero Park Ji Sung of Manchester United is ruled out with an injury.
The game - wel, the first half is eminently forgettable, with the exception of some smart moves from Japanese World Cup hero Keisuke Honda. The second half is much better - a full blooded local derby with end to end action. Korean star Ki Seoung Yung, presently with Celtic in Glasgow, stands out - a true artist with the dead ball. One of his excellent crosses finds Park Chu Young (playing with Monaco), but he heads at the goalie. It’s the closest Korea will come on a frustrating night. Lee Chung Yong of Bolton shows lots of energy, but on this night is not as lucky as he is in the Premier League. The best chance of the game falls right at the end to Japan, but they fail to convert. It’s a 0-0 draw, but entertaining nevertheless with the crowd playing their full part in an atmospheric and tension filled evening.
At the end of the match, the Korean players line up in the middle and bow to the crowd - a sign of their respect and affection for the Korean public who have come to support them. They then spend the next ten minutes kicking 60 or 70 footballs in to the crowd - the lucky take home a nice souvenir. It’s clear that the bond between the players and the fans is much stronger than it is in Europe. As we file out, the fans collect their cans, food cartons and other waste and stack it by the rubbish bins - there are no dirty stadiums in Korea.
The Red Devils are favourites to win the Asian cup in January. Their next home game will be in March - we will be there!
Douglas Barrett
Head, UKTI South Korea