One of my favorite things that we have done since moving to Korea was attending a Doosan Bears vs Samsung Lions baseball game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. I had pretty high expectations for the game (I’d heard all about how Korean baseball games are extra), and I can safely say that even with incredibly high expectations, the game and environment completely EXCEEDED what I expected. Today I’m sharing all about WHY we loved the game so much, as well as some tips on attending one yourself!

Attending a Korean Baseball Game

I have always loved baseball. I have fond memories from when I was a teenager attending MLB games when we’d visit our cousins in California. And although I’ve never had a specific team I’ve rooted for (and I can’t keep track of brackets and things like that), I’ve just always loved baseball. The funny part is, I thought I loved baseball because of how AMERICAN it was. Because I freaking love America and there really are few things that feel more American than a good ol’ Major League Baseball game. Heck, even my little brother’s Little League games would get me feeling all patriotic.

As someone who equates baseball with the United States, you can imagine my surprise when I learned that baseball is also the NUMBER ONE sport in South Korea. (And as it turns out, there are Major baseball leagues worldwide… who knew!?) As soon as I realized what a big deal it is here, I knew it was something I needed to experience for myself.

My parents (who are fellow baseball-lovers and who were visiting us at the time) joined us at a game, and our friends (who are also friends with my parents, coincidentally enough) were able to help us get tickets. I’d tried online and failed horribly at figuring out how to purchase tickets, but our friends had connections through work and got them for us. It was fun to attend the game with Marisa and Cash – since they both frequent the games often. They introduced us to some their favorite Korean snacks – all of which were AMAZING and each of which I have purchased on my own since then.

One of the first things that we all noticed was just how YOUNG the audience was. I’d say that MOST of the viewers were young adults – which was far younger than what I remember seeing watching the Dodgers as a teen. The next thing we noticed was that just about EVERYONE was wearing a jersey for the team playing. And if they weren’t wearing a jersey, they were wearing a hat for the team. It was to the point that we DEFINITELY felt out of place in our street clothes – and I was pretty determined to purchase a Doosan Bears jersey for myself… until I realized how much they cost and I figured that money would be better spent elsewhere.

The whole environment was lively and LOUD. In the States, we are accustomed to silence while someone is up batting. But in South Korea, that’s when they get louder! Each player has their own theme-song, and everyone sang at the top of their lungs when that player would get up to bat! This was where being able to read Hangeul came in handy – since most of the songs were the player’s name thrown into some catchy tune. I caught myself singing along where I could and it was a great time.

In addition to the player-specific songs that they played and everyone sang along to, they also played “Surfin’ USA” and other well-known American songs. You can bet our kids were up dancing and we were all singing along. Each team had cheerleaders – which wasn’t something I had expected at a baseball game – and they even did the “Kiss Cam” which was hilarious to watch – since typically Koreans don’t kiss in public. It’s also worth noting (only because I found it interesting) that MOST of the players were Korean, but each team is allowed up to THREE foreigners on their team.

If I HAD to pick one thing to complain about (which… really I don’t have to) it would be just how stinking hot it was. For the first half of the game, we were directly in the sun and it was unbearably hot. But by the second half, the sun had gone behind the stadium and we had some relief. Even with the stifling heat, it was worth it to experience this HUGE thing from our bucket list!

It was incredible to see Korea’s take on baseball. Americans may have invented the game, but Koreans took it, ran with it, and made it SO MUCH BETTER. I will always ALWAYS love American baseball – and you can bet at our next duty station I’ll be dragging my family to MULTIPLE MLB games – but Korean baseball has wedged its way into my heart where I’m sure it will stay forever.

’til next time…

Ash

How to attend a Korean Baseball Game

Directions: There are multiple baseball stadiums all over Korea (and at least two are in Seoul). We attended a baseball game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium which is easily accessible by subway. We took the subway to Sports Complex Station (line 2) and took exit 5. This took us right to the stadium.
Naver Pin: Jamsil Baseball Stadium

Parking: Although there is cheap parking at the stadium, from what I was told, it can fill up fast. We parked at the Dragon Hill Lodge parking lot on Yongsan and then took the subway over from Samgakji Station. I recommend doing the same if you have access to Yongsan Base in Seoul.

Purchasing Tickets: If you have friends who have attended baseball games, ask around and see how they purchased them. You can purchase tickets at the stadium ticket booths up to 90 minutes before the game starts, but there is no guarantee there will be seats still available. We attended a 2:00pm game and almost all of the lower seats and cheer section were full, but there were many higher seats available. The later games that start at about 6:00pm fill up faster, so be aware of that.

Cost: Ticket prices range from ₩8,000 – ₩47,000 per person on weekday games and they range from ₩9,000 – ₩53,000 per person for weekend games. Prices depend on what day you visit and which seating section you purchase tickets for. There is a chart at each of the ticket booths that shows in detail the seating sections and their price. You can also visit CK Travels post about baseball games for more information and to see the seating chart before you arrive.

Amenities: Plenty of food options are available to purchase within the stadium. The options range from convenience store food to full meals. Bathrooms are also plentiful.

Game Schedule: For more information on the 2023 Baseball Schedule (which goes until October 10th, 2023) visit the official site for Korean Baseball Organization (KBO).