Hey y’all! Today was packed with contrast – history and sport, tension and celebration. We started with a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a deeply significant place in Korean history and global politics. The bus ride was about an hour long, which gave me a much-needed nap before what turned into a surprisingly uphill day (literally). We learned about the division between North and South Korea, and then descended into one of the infiltration tunnels North Korea had secretly dug to invade. The tunnel was narrow and had a really low ceiling, but for once, my height worked in my favor as I didn’t have to duck at all, unlike Matt who’s over 6 feet tall.
Unfortunately, due to light rain and fog, we couldn’t see across into North Korea, but the gravity of standing so close to such a high-tension border wasn’t lost on me. The experience made me reflect on how deep and complex geopolitical divides can be, and how much they continue to affect people’s everyday lives.
In the evening, we pivoted completely and attended a KBO baseball game between the Kiwoom Heroes and the Samsung Lions at the Sky Dome. As someone with a background in baseball photography, this was the part of the trip I had looked forward to the most and it absolutely exceeded my expectations. The game atmosphere was electric. Each player had their own theme song and crowd dance, led by cheerleaders on platforms in the stands. It was a full-on concert-meets-sports-event. It reminded me a lot of the chanting and dancing we do at Austin FC back home, but baseball. It merged two of my favorite things!
Unlike the U.S., there were no bag restrictions, and fans could bring in outside food and even leave and re-enter the stadium. It made the experience feel much more relaxed and community-oriented, which made me reflect on how sports in Korea serve as a cultural celebration, not just entertainment.
