Sport in South Korea
Encyclopedia
South Korea has traditional sports of its own, but sports imported from the West are predominant.
There are various forms of folk dancing still practiced in Korea. Although not commonly considered a sport, traditional mask dance
drama is physically demanding.
Kite flying (Yeon Nalligi) is considered a sport in East Asia
. Kites are flown during the first few days of the Lunar New Year
and Chuseok
. It is not, however, a major league sport as it is in Thailand
. The traditional Korean kite is made of bamboo sticks and traditional Korean paper.
Bull fighting (So Ssaum) in Korea features two bulls fighting each other. The bulls butt heads and attempt to push the opponent backwards. The first bull to move backwards loses the game. Many people tip on bulls that they think are going to win. The owner of bull named Glamorous made 1.2 million dollars from tipping alone.
Korean wrestling (Ssireum) is similar to Sumo wrestling
from Japan. Korean wrestling is played in a sandy ring, and the contender who throws his opponent to the ground wins a point.
, a popular martial art originated in Korea. Taekwondo means technique of kicking and punching, although the emphasis lies on the kicks. Even though it was practiced for centuries—its origins have been traced as far back as the 1st century BC—it only became popular after World War II
. It became standard military training in Korea, and in 1961 the rules were standardized.
Taekkyeon is a traditional martial art that originated in Korea during the Goguryeo
period in the 4th century. It uses open hands and the feet, whereas the use of clenched fists is not permitted. The motions are smoother and more curvilinear than Taekwondo.
Hapkido
is another martial art from Korea, although not as popular as Taekwondo outside the peninsula. Hapkido developed during the Three Kingdoms and shares many characteristics with the Japanese Aikido
..
Football is the most popular spectator sport in South Korea. South Korea, which competes internationally under the name of "Korea Republic", has qualified for eight FIFA World Cup finals including the most recent 2010 tournament (Asian record), and co-hosted the 2002 World Cup, finishing in 4th place. Also in 2010, the country's under-17 women's team won the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
in Trinidad and Tobago
, claiming South Korea's first-ever title in worldwide FIFA competition. The K-League
is the oldest domestic professional football league in Asia. A huge number of tiny amateur football gatherings are active and immensely popular.
Baseball
is also a very popular spectator sport in South Korea. It was introduced in 1905 by American missionaries and carries a strong following today. Professional teams owned by large conglomerates (chaebols) compete in the Korea Professional Baseball league. Korea won the Gold Medal in baseball at the 2008 Olympic Games
. Korea is also a regular participant in the World Baseball Classic
, and is considered one of the best baseball countries in international competition. Several Korean players have gone on to play in Major League Baseball
.
Another sport gaining popularity in South Korea is basketball
. Professional basketball teams compete in the Korean Basketball League
. Ice Hockey
is slowly emerging as fans in Anyang city sees sell-out games for Anyang Halla
hockey club. Anyang Halla
became the first non-Japanese club to win championship title for Asia League Ice Hockey
.
Popular throughout Asia, Badminton
is played by many Koreans. Badminton nets can be found in many outdoor recreation parks. Korean players often reach the finals in regional and world championships. Bowling
is a popular sport in South Korea, with many local leagues. Computerized systems are commonplace.
Fishing
and hiking
are common activities in South Korea. Fishing is popular in streams, rivers, and the oceans. There are arranged fishing tours. Hiking in the Korean mountains is very popular, and weekend after weekend popular areas fill with people.
Golf
is very popular in South Korea. It is often thought that this is linked to the fact that golf is considered a status symbol. Membership in golf clubs in South Korea is considerably more expensive than in Japan or the US. South Korea is especially strong in women's golf; 47 Koreans play on the world's leading women's tour, the LPGA
tour in the United States
. The best-known Korean golfer is Pak Se-ri
.
Scuba diving
is popular on Jeju island
.
Korea is home to a number of good downhill skiing
slopes. Snowboarding
was not allowed in most resorts until recently.
Rugby union
is played to some degree
in South Korea, with the Korean team
being currently ranked 23rd out of around a hundred nations. Korea participated in the 2008 Asian Five Nations, the inaugural Asian Five Nations
.
Table tennis
is popular in South Korea. There are minor leagues in many universities.
E-sports
have found a strong home in South Korea, StarCraft professional competition
being the largest example of these. There is a TV station called GomTV which allows viewers to view this games at a professional level called Global Starcraft League (GSL)
Since 2010, South Korea has hosted the annual Formula One
Korean Grand Prix
in Yeongam. However, South Korea has yet to have a driver on the grid.
North Korea
and South Korea marched together in the 2000
and 2004
Olympics, and were likely to do so again in 2008
, however they did not. (See Sports in North Korea.)
was held in Korea and Japan with extreme success. More than 10
million Koreans came to the streets to support their team in the semifinals against Germany.
Traditional sports
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
drama is physically demanding.
Kite flying (Yeon Nalligi) is considered a sport in East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
. Kites are flown during the first few days of the Lunar New Year
Korean New Year
Korean New Year, commonly known as Seollal , is the first day of the lunar calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays. It consists of a period of celebrations, starting on New Year's Day. Koreans also celebrate solar New Year's Day on January 1 each year, following the...
and Chuseok
Chuseok
Chuseok , originally known as Hangawi , is a major harvest festival and a three-day holiday in Korea celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. Like many other harvest festivals, it is held around the Autumn Equinox...
. It is not, however, a major league sport as it is in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. The traditional Korean kite is made of bamboo sticks and traditional Korean paper.
Bull fighting (So Ssaum) in Korea features two bulls fighting each other. The bulls butt heads and attempt to push the opponent backwards. The first bull to move backwards loses the game. Many people tip on bulls that they think are going to win. The owner of bull named Glamorous made 1.2 million dollars from tipping alone.
Korean wrestling (Ssireum) is similar to Sumo wrestling
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
from Japan. Korean wrestling is played in a sandy ring, and the contender who throws his opponent to the ground wins a point.
Sports originating from Korea
TaekwondoTaekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
, a popular martial art originated in Korea. Taekwondo means technique of kicking and punching, although the emphasis lies on the kicks. Even though it was practiced for centuries—its origins have been traced as far back as the 1st century BC—it only became popular after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It became standard military training in Korea, and in 1961 the rules were standardized.
Taekkyeon is a traditional martial art that originated in Korea during the Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
period in the 4th century. It uses open hands and the feet, whereas the use of clenched fists is not permitted. The motions are smoother and more curvilinear than Taekwondo.
Hapkido
Hapkido
Hapkido is a dynamic and also eclectic Korean martial art. It is a form of self-defense that employs joint locks, techniques of other martial arts, as well as kicks, punches, and other striking attacks...
is another martial art from Korea, although not as popular as Taekwondo outside the peninsula. Hapkido developed during the Three Kingdoms and shares many characteristics with the Japanese Aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
..
Popular sports
2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
The 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup women's football tournament is the second such tournament, and was held in Trinidad and Tobago from September 5–25, 2010...
in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, claiming South Korea's first-ever title in worldwide FIFA competition. The K-League
K-League
The Korea Professional Football League is South Korea's only fully professional association football league. At the top of the South Korean football league system, it is the country's highest and most prestigious level of football competition currently contested by 16 clubs.-Establishment:The...
is the oldest domestic professional football league in Asia. A huge number of tiny amateur football gatherings are active and immensely popular.
Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
is also a very popular spectator sport in South Korea. It was introduced in 1905 by American missionaries and carries a strong following today. Professional teams owned by large conglomerates (chaebols) compete in the Korea Professional Baseball league. Korea won the Gold Medal in baseball at the 2008 Olympic Games
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center...
. Korea is also a regular participant in the World Baseball Classic
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
, and is considered one of the best baseball countries in international competition. Several Korean players have gone on to play in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Another sport gaining popularity in South Korea is basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. Professional basketball teams compete in the Korean Basketball League
Korean Basketball League
The Korean Basketball League, often abbreviated to the KBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in South Korea. Its inaugural season was in 1997. The season starts in October and ends in April the following year. The KBL consists of 10 teams. Each team plays 54 games . Each team...
. Ice Hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
is slowly emerging as fans in Anyang city sees sell-out games for Anyang Halla
Anyang Halla
The Anyang Halla are a professional ice hockey team based in Anyang City in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. They are one of the founding and current members of the Asia League Ice Hockey . Formed in 1994, they are the oldest professional ice hockey team, and one of only two professional teams, in South...
hockey club. Anyang Halla
Anyang Halla
The Anyang Halla are a professional ice hockey team based in Anyang City in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. They are one of the founding and current members of the Asia League Ice Hockey . Formed in 1994, they are the oldest professional ice hockey team, and one of only two professional teams, in South...
became the first non-Japanese club to win championship title for Asia League Ice Hockey
Asia League Ice Hockey
Asia League Ice Hockey is an association which operates a professional ice hockey league based in East Asia, with seven teams from Japan, China, and South Korea. The league is headquartered in Japan...
.
Popular throughout Asia, Badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
is played by many Koreans. Badminton nets can be found in many outdoor recreation parks. Korean players often reach the finals in regional and world championships. Bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
is a popular sport in South Korea, with many local leagues. Computerized systems are commonplace.
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
are common activities in South Korea. Fishing is popular in streams, rivers, and the oceans. There are arranged fishing tours. Hiking in the Korean mountains is very popular, and weekend after weekend popular areas fill with people.
Golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
is very popular in South Korea. It is often thought that this is linked to the fact that golf is considered a status symbol. Membership in golf clubs in South Korea is considerably more expensive than in Japan or the US. South Korea is especially strong in women's golf; 47 Koreans play on the world's leading women's tour, the LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
tour in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The best-known Korean golfer is Pak Se-ri
Se Ri Pak
Pak Se Ri is a South Korean professional golfer, playing on the LPGA Tour. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2007.-Career overview:...
.
Scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
is popular on Jeju island
Jeju-do
Jeju-do is the only special autonomous province of South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country's largest island. Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946...
.
Korea is home to a number of good downhill skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
slopes. Snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
was not allowed in most resorts until recently.
Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is played to some degree
Rugby union in South Korea
Rugby union in South Korea is a minor but growing sport.The game is exclusively played in the southern part of the country: North Korea has little or no rugby union presence.-History:It is unknown when rugby was first played in Korea...
in South Korea, with the Korean team
Korea national rugby union team
The Korea national rugby union team represents South Korea in international rugby union. The team is recognized as Korea by the International Rugby Board. Korea has yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup finals....
being currently ranked 23rd out of around a hundred nations. Korea participated in the 2008 Asian Five Nations, the inaugural Asian Five Nations
Asian Five Nations
The Asian Five Nations, known as the HSBC Asian 5 Nations due to its sponsorship by HSBC, is an annual international rugby union competition held between the top five Asian national rugby sides...
.
Table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
is popular in South Korea. There are minor leagues in many universities.
E-sports
Electronic sports
Electronic sports comprises the competitive play of video games. Other terms include competitive gaming, professional gaming and cybersports...
have found a strong home in South Korea, StarCraft professional competition
StarCraft professional competition
The computer game StarCraft has an active professional competition circuit, particularly in South Korea. The two major game channels in South Korea, Ongamenet and MBCGame, each run a Starleague , viewed by millions of fans...
being the largest example of these. There is a TV station called GomTV which allows viewers to view this games at a professional level called Global Starcraft League (GSL)
Since 2010, South Korea has hosted the annual Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Korean Grand Prix
Korean Grand Prix
The Korean Grand Prix is a Formula One race held in South Korea. After months of speculation, on October 2, 2006 it was confirmed that the event would actually take place in 2010, and would be hosted by the Korean International Circuit. It has also been revealed that the race will be promoted by a...
in Yeongam. However, South Korea has yet to have a driver on the grid.
Major sport events
Olympic Games
- The Summer Olympic GamesSummer Olympic GamesThe Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
were held in SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
in 19881988 Summer OlympicsThe 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. - The Winter Olympic GamesWinter Olympic GamesThe Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
will be held in Pyeongchang in 20182018 Winter OlympicsThe 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, is a winter multi-sport event scheduled to take place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, between 9 and 25 February 2018. The elected host city was announced on 6 July 2011 by the International Olympic Committee , after the...
.
North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and South Korea marched together in the 2000
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
and 2004
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
Olympics, and were likely to do so again in 2008
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, however they did not. (See Sports in North Korea.)
FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
was held in Korea and Japan with extreme success. More than 10
million Koreans came to the streets to support their team in the semifinals against Germany.