Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Alias]

I voted neurtal.

I can tell you what I think would be the worst case scenario. The US beats Korea in the finals due to a controversial call made by the Japanese referee.

[Gwangjuboy]

It's nothing to get excited about. Korea were playing on home soil in front of a capacity crowd against a very average team. Norway will be a much bigger test. If they win that game (it's in Norway) they will be worthy of praise. They also have to play Ghana in Scotland. I don't fancy them to dow too well in that one.

[Alias]

[inspector gadget]

Being from Canada, I can't really critique any countries ability at the game of soccer so I wish Korea all the luck and sure I will cheer for them but I am really cheering for Holland.

The thing that I dislike a great deal is all of the bullsh"t that they put out there before the World Cup even starts.

I decided to watch the Bosnia game and I caught a bit of the pre game hype as well.

Now I am all for cheering on your countries team in good taste but the Koreans do not know how to do that at all.

The hype was disgusting, I recall at least three songs that they sang at the pre game in seoul were stating that "they are the champions", including a brutal version of "we are the champions". Now that is a song that should be reserved for a team that truely are champions.

To my knowledge the national soccer team of Korea (or any sport for that matter) has never been crowned champion of any major event.

Also the broadcast of the game itself was as though only one team was participating in the event, very tasteless, oh ya and the national anthem of bosnia they cut out to clips of the bosnian war and the struggles that ensued.

I am pretty sure that the ambassador of Bosnia to Korea would have had some screaming to do at his Korean colleauges the next day.

Korea should get some respect for what should be a great sporting event and please reserve we are the champions for when it is relevant and not before.

[Homer]

Inspector...I think you are forgeting that this is football and that typically..football fans are rather rabid about their team....

Also, the World Cup often leads to national chest thumping and while you may have been offended (annoyed?) by the Korean version of cheering for the national team, I suggest you tune in to the Italians cheering for their team for example...or to South American fans (remember Columbia 1994 anyone?).

This is the World Cup.....not the International meet of chess masters...

As a side note...you best get used to it as the event has not even started!

[sjrm]

[inspector gadget]

Homer,

I am aware that the world cup is a big thing however I still think that for a country that has never (to my knowledge) won any major sporting event its just in bad taste.

I am well aware that soccer fans and the game itself leads to rabid fans and nationalistic behavour but champions they are not, nor do I think they will be in any major sporting event during my lifetime.

Italians, I watched Roma vs Juventus in ,

Spainards, I watched Barcelona vs Real Madrid,

I both like and dislike soccer because of what happens to fans that get caught up it.

Teams like Italy, Germany, Brazil, France and any other team that has won the world cup I can understand claiming to be the champs because they have been there, but Korea....not gonna happen. It just makes them look foolish when they do that, I was a little embarassed for Koreans after I watched.

[Homer]

Dude..they are using a song...not claiming they are the champs!

But to each his own....

[catman]

Has Korea ever won an Asian Cup title?

[manlyboy]

I'm sure Korean archery teams have won championships in the past.

Anyway, I don't buy this argument that because some fans in other countries' are nationalistic about the World Cup as well then any specific critcism of Korea is undeserved.
Just like any other "-ism", it doesn't exist only in extremes. Nationalism exists in varying degrees, and the degree to which it exists here is much more extreme than in other countries. Here, the nationalism in relation to the World Cup is actually institutionalized. Whereas you will hear people shouting it down in other countries, you will hear next to no Koreans doing that here. It's in the political establishment, the mainstream media, the educational system - everywhere you turn, the inherent racial superiority of Koreans as exhibited by their "taegukki warriors" goes without question.

[Zulu]

[jinju]

Man you guys are paranoid. All they are doing is getting behind their team. Is it extreme? Well its pretty extreme but are you telling me it isnt so in other countries? One thing I like about this so called Korean nationalism is that unlike in other countries, it has never been taken to a level where outsiders are killed because if it. It never escalates into violence as it does with European fans. In the history of this country, this nationalism has never been the engine that drove genocide or colonization of other countries. Bitch and cry about it all you want, I bet your coutries have committed far greater sins in the name of your nationalism that Koreans and their Red Devils or 5 year old kids playing soccer against a German team.

[jaganath69]

[Tiger Beer]

I'm wanting Korea to kick serious ass!

[itaewonguy]