Red Devils [Korean Soccer Fans]

My last blog was about Korean Popular Culture. When I finished it I realized that I had only begun to touch the surface of what I wanted to say about soccer and the soccer fever that has gripped Korea as the World Cup [월드컵] has been played.

Someone who was seen on Korean TV and in newspapers a lot lately was 딕 아드보카트 [Dick Advocate]. He was South Korea's Soccer coach since September and he coached the team through their games at the World Cup. He was quite popular and he had several commericals on TV advertising "Papa Joe's" a pizza restaurant and the "LG Card" a credit card.

Since Korea didn't get beyond the opening round of play at the World Cup his contract was not extented and he was been replaced by another Netherlands Coach, Pim Verbeek. Korea is excited to have him as a coach since he was an assistant to Hiddink who coached the team during the 2002 World Cup in South Korea when the Korean team made it to the final four.

This is a promotional picture I found of 딕 아드보카트 [Dick Advocate].

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붉은악마 [Bak un ack ma] means "Red Devil" [or Devils - there is no plural form in Korean]. This is the term used to refer to the South Korea's Soccer fans. They are said to be an intregal part of the team. I have to say that I never saw a country get so behind their soccer team. Having dated several Americans I thought Americans were patriotic and sports-minded, however, the Koreans take it to a whole new level. Supporting the Korean soccer team is almost a religion here!

For example, I went to a large supermarket near my house [during the first World Cup game South Korea played against Togo] only to find 99% of the entire store staff in the Electronics Department watching the game on a TV on display there. Moreover, on the night of the game South Korea played against Switzerland I saw a number of people on the subway on the way to a large stadium [to watch the game] and they had actually drapped themselves in the Taeguki [the South Korean flag].

You are never too young or old to show support for the team.

Even the children are dressed in red T- shirts to show their support [or maybe I should say their parents support] of the South Korean soccer team.

Here's a photo of some of the South Korean soccer fans.

This is another pictures of the fans. Notice the girl in the center is wearing the Taeguki [the South Korean flag as a skirt] this is the same kind of thing I saw on the subway. The guys wore the Taeguki like a cape and the girls wore it as a skirt.



Stores everywhere sold temporary tatoos so that fans could decorate their faces with symbols of their loyalty and devotion. [I hate to admit it but I actually got in on this trend and wore a tatoo of the Taeguki [South Korean flag] on my right cheek during the game against Switzerland.]

There is a trend lately to spell Korea with a "C" so that it reads "Corea". It is especially common on Red T-shirts and banners that are made for soccer fans. I'm not sure what the spelling change is about but I plan to try and find out.

My friend "Ray" took this picture of the fans in the Ulsan, South Korea sports stadium. Notice how many people are there and how they are all wearing red T-shirts?

"Ray", also, took this picture. It is showing the fans at night in the Ulsan Sports Stadium.

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I wish I had had my own camera to take pictures of my own. I saw so many great scenes of fans and their patriotic garb and I kept thinking to myself, "I wish I had my camera". Memo to self, "Always take your digital camera with you."