Episode 72: For The Love Of The Cheering (Sports) Artwork

Korean. American. Podcast

How does modern day Korea compare to America? Join co-hosts Daniel and Jun every week as they explore a topic and discuss it from both the American and Korean perspective. If you're looking to learn more about Korean society and culture, are a part of the Korean diaspora and curious how Korea has changed since you, your parents, or your grandparents left, or are simply interested in broadening your personal worldview and perspective, then we hope you'll listen in and join us on this journey!

Host Bios
Daniel, a Korean American in his 30s, was born and raised in the US, having lived in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and California. During the pandemic, realizing that time is precious, he moved with his wife and young children to Korea in 2021 to help them connect with their cultural heritage and to expand their global cultural awareness. He has a background is in software engineering, works as an investor, and enjoys basketball and gaming.

Jun, a native Korean in his 30s, was born in Daegu, where he also spent his childhood years. After moving to Seoul for college, he went to the US (Boston) for grad school, but returned to Seoul after and has lived there ever since. He has a background in architecture, works as a product designer, makes ice cream, and is a drummer in a band.

All Episodes

Korean. American. Podcast

Episode 72: For The Love Of The Cheering (Sports)

November 21, 2024 • Daniel and Jun

This week Jun and Daniel discuss sports culture in Korea and America, prompted by their recent experience attending a KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) playoff game together. Through comparing stadium experiences, fan behavior, player salaries, and cultural attitudes towards athletics, our hosts explore deeper societal differences between the two countries - from how Koreans view sports more as entertainment versus Americans' intense competitive spirit, to contrasting approaches to women's sports and mixed-gender athletics. What does wildcard, semi-playoffs, and playoffs mean in the context of Korean baseball? What is the topic of many of Daniel’s conversations with more Americanized Korean Koreans? Is there a difference between ‘hwaiting’ (화이팅) and ‘paiting’ (파이팅)?

If you're interested in any of these topics or questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel shares his hot takes on NBA star Steph Curry, and Jun reveals his childhood connection to the Samsung Lions baseball team.

Note: This episode was recorded on October 24, 2024 and includes references to events that may feel anachronistic by the time of publication. Thank you for understanding!

Support the show

As a reminder, we record one episode a week in-person from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862

Follow us on socials:
https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/
https://twitter.com/korampodcast
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: koreanamericanpodcast@gmail.com