Okay so Sam is pretty pumped about today's outing.
Tell us what are we doing?
This is the one thing I've been looking forward to doing in Seoul more than just about anything
else.
We are going to a baseball game here in Samuel.
A Yagu (야구) game.
Yaku (야구) means baseball in Korean.
We are watching the LG Twins (LG 트윈스) play today.
Alright are they any good?
Actually I don't think they're having a very good season.
The other team that plays here, the Doosan Bears (두산 베어스), I think are in first
place.
So this is kind of the lesser of the two teams that play at this stadium.
Alright, let's go cheer for them anyway.
So Sam needs a baseball hat for the game.
Alright new hat to show off.
Yes, I just got my LG Twins hat, another one to add to the collection.
And this old one I have here is actually of the Hanwha Eagles (한화 이글스).
They're a team that plays out of Daejeon (대전).
And I used to teach English in Daejeon back in 2009 so way back when like seven years
ago I bought this hat.
And this team was really bad back then.
I think they were maybe like worst in the league.
So I think that is the hat I'm going to be wearing today.
Yes, this is the one that I'm giving to you now.
I've got the one from the Seoul team.
Thank you, I will take that.
So baseball in Korea is about much more than just the sport.
You come here with friends to eat chicken, drink beer, chew on some squid.
You can even get dried squid.
ojing-eo (오징어).
So we are going to load up.
We're basically going to have our dinner here before the game starts.
Exactly.
Let's go.
Let's go find food.
Hahahaha.
Komabseubnida (고맙습니다).
Komapsimnida.
Alright, so I just ordered myself some ojingo - the squid.
Let's take a bite.
Oh my gosh.
That looks chewy.
That is really good.
I think you're supposed to eat one tentacle at a time.
Probably.
And then over here you can see they have even more different types of seafood products.
More dried seafood.
It smells very fishy.
Very octopus-y.
This is what you eat when you go to a Korean baseball game.
I think it is like over thirty five degrees today guys so before we even go to watch the
game we're cooling off.
If you look over here you can see there is a whole bunch of other people.
Everyone else had the same idea.
We've all got the same idea.
We've got a liter of beer in hand.
We've got our snacks so what we're going to do is just cool off a bit before the game
starts.
And this beer was really cheap.
It was three thousand five hundred Won.
So ₩3500 which is roughly I would say about three US dollars.
For a litre.
Really good value.
For a liter of beer.
Nice!
Let's try this.
So we've got OB Premier Pilsner.
Maekju (맥주).
Cheers.
So I've actually convinced Audrey to try the Ojingeo (오징어) the squid.
This is a bit out of your comfort zone for sure.
Oh my gosh.
Well, first of all I'd like to point out the bag that the squid comes in it looks like
an old math textbook.
I think it is.
This looks like equations so I'm not sure where they got this from.
Try it.
It is plastic-y.
Hahaha.
Smokey.
Is it like eating rubber or something?
Oh, hahaha.
You didn't finish it.
Well, I do like it so I'll be having the rest.
It is all yours.
Sam likes it.
So the feast continues.
Yes, our pre-game feast continues.
We have got Tteokbokki (떡볶이) the Korean spicy rice cakes.
Basically one of the most classic Korean street food snacks you can get.
Alright, it has got basically these rice cakes, called deok (떡) which are covered in Gochujang
(고추장) sauce which is the red pepper paste.
It is delicious.
Mmmmm.
Oh yeah that is good stuff.
Loving it.
It is super spicy.
So what have you got to cool off before the game?
Milk bubble tea.
It is disgustingly hot.
Like we finished off one liter of beer and all of our water and I don't know what else.
We've just been guzzling.
Okay try the bubble tea.
Uh.
Refreshing?
It's good.
I feel a little better.
Only a little bit.
Keeping that beer ice cold here at the stadium.
(Cheering noises.)
So the cool thing about the Korea Baseball Organization is that it is a fairly small
league.
There are only ten teams.
And what is really unique about this league is that they are not named after the cities.
They're named after the companies.
So for example, we're watching LG Twins.
LG is the company.
And there is three teams based out of Seoul and the other seven teams are throughout the
rest of Korea.
So you have teams for example like Gwangju and Daejeon.
Busan and Incheon and other places like that.
(Crowd chanting and cheering).
So Sam may have come for the game but I'm here for the cheerleading and the dancing.
That is the only thing I'm looking forward to.
Seriously impressive.
Over there!
(Crowd Cheering)
Sam, status update?
How drenched in sweat are you at the moment?
Well, I've had two litres of beer and I don't even feel the slightest bit drunk.
So I think I've just basically sweated it all out.
Glowing.
We are glowing right now.
I'm wondering if they're going to sing take me out to the ball game but I have a feeling
maybe not.
(Crowd cheering)
So that was hands down one of the coolest baseball games I've ever been to.
It was all about the cheering and the chanting.
And each player had their own song.