World Cup Madness

Koreans are mad for the World Cup - really they're mad for anything that involves Korea and will bring them honor. On Saturday I, with some friends, joined the masses at City Hall in downtown Seoul to watch the soccer game on big screen TVs between Korea and Greece. Of course it decided to rain that day, so we bought some cheap rain slickers and joined in on all the chanting and fun. There were so many people there. We got pushed and shoved, until we finally moved back to the street so Christina could actually see the game (she was too short to see over everyone's heads - I don't have that problem).

We ended up standing in front of a bus load of riot police, with whom Jessica flirted. She's great at flirting through glass but not so much in person. About half way through the game a guy with a TV camera saw us, so his assistant turned a huge spotlight on us and they filmed us cheering. Then a little later some random guy gave us free Cokes. Oh, to be a foreigner in Korea - sometimes it's good. And towards the end of the game I may have gone up to a stranger that was cheering really loudly and cheered back at him. At first he gave me an odd look, but then he seemed cool with it, so we cheered together for a bit. And Korea WON! The night ended with us dancing in a victory circle.

Masses of Korean fans waiting for the game to start.

This is what we looked like the whole night. The soccer fans are called the Red Devils, hence the devil horns.

Korean fans in the flesh.

Jess and I with are matching Korean shirts. We are so cool!