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The World Cup
What
the World Cup Really Means
By Sung Eun Choi
The
World Cup excitement was shaking up Korea as her team gained victory
over many strong teams, such as Poland, Portugal, and Italy. Finally,
it was the historic day which the dark horse Korean team met the
Spanish team, the Invincible Armada, to go into the semi-finals.
Right after school, my friend and I rushed to the City Hall area,
where thousands of supporters were gathering to cheer. When we arrived,
the streets were already full of supporters all dressed in red,
which is the supporting color of Korea. It seemed as if red paint
was streaming down the street. Being a part of the red flood, we
had to wait several nervous hours up to the game time. As the referee
blew his starting whistle, the game began. The match was a real
thriller. The players did their best right from the beginning of
the game and the eager caused lots of fouls and injuries. However,
no team scored in the first and the second period. Throughout the
game the crowd hardly moved their eyes! off the screen even during
the break time. After the short break, overtime started. My heart
beat faster and my hands were wet with sweat as both teams missed
some good chances. Time passed without no score and the exhausted
players had to do penalty kicks. Turn by turn the players kicked
the ball willing for the victory, which was so close ahead. When
our team's goal-keeper, Yun-jae Lee, blocked a weakly kicked ball
by a nervous Spanish player who felt too much pressure, everybody
on the street burst with tears and shouts of joy. In the middle
of the excited crowd, my friend and I hugged and looked each other
so astonished not knowing what to say. At last, the Korean team
had defeated the Spanish team five to four on penalty kicks. It
was an unforgettable moment. Not only because of the result of the
game, but also because we were sharing the happiness together and
feeling proud of our country. That day every Koreans were on the
field running and sweating together as the t! welfth player of the
Korean team.
Korea's
Experience Through the World Cup
By Hyun-kyun U
Koreans
gained meaningful and exciting experience and came to know themselves
more through the World Cup. First, the World Cup made all the Koreans
gather together, and get along well with everyone. From ten-year-old
children to seventy-year-old men, Koreans gathered in one place
such as City Hall square, and cheered the Korean soccer team in
unison. Before the World Cup, people did not even know who lived
at the next door. However, during the World Cup neighbors came out
of their house and took pleasure in the game together in the parks
and playgrounds near the town , so people became to know each other
more. In addition, whenever the game played, most people wore the
red T-shirts with "Be the Reds!" which means that all
the Koreans became the Korean cheering group named "The Red
Devils" by wearing the T-shirts. Many people also wore self-made
hats and uniforms made of Korean flag which had symbolized the dignity
and authority before, but after the World Cup Koreans feels it familiar
more. Second, the World Cup enabled Koreans to enjoy the party themselves.
For example, 210,000 people gathered in City Hall square for the
Korea-Turkey game, and 650,000 people did for the Korea-Germany
game. After the game ended, people came out of the buildings and
houses, and marched on the street, sang and danced together until
the late night. Moreover, there was not only no violence, and but
also no trash because people picked it up after the games. Thus,
Koreans were surprised themselves at their potential power to make
the better society. In the latter half of the twentieth century
Koreans underwent Korean War, dictatorial government and economic
crisis, so they could not amuse themselves and express their joy
well. However, by showing energetic and creative cheering culture
and mature civil consciousness in the World Cup, Koreans had self-confidence
that they could make it well no matter what festival will be held.
Koreans developed self-confidence and pride about Korea through
the World Cup.
The
Unforgettable Event: World Cup 2002
By Jung Eun Yun
The
World Cup 2002 made me realize the pride of being Korean and sparked
me to feel close to foreigners It was the day when a Korean team
played a soccer game against Italian team for a spot to play the
quarterfinals. My friends and I were at the church to watch that
match, and like many other Koreans, we were glued to the TV. After
an intense game, the Korean team finally defeated Italian team.
In order to share our joy with others, we got in our church van
and headed to City Hall where about five hundred thousand had gathered
to watch the soccer game. The streets were completely filled with
people in red, and shouts of delight from the crowd. Thousands of
people who wore red T-shirts and red hoods passed beside our car.
As I stretched my hands out of the car window, many responded to
my excitement by reaching out and touching my hand. When their clammy
hands touched my hand, I felt a sense of unity with them. Ignoring
the pain from the constant clashing of hands, I continued to shake
hands, shouting "Dae Han Min Kuk," which means Republic
of Korea. I could hear the firecrackers and the blowing the whistles
rhythmically, celebrating the victory. Even the horns of cars celebrated
the win by accompanying the cheer. As I shouted "Dae Han Min
Kuk," I was proud to be Korean. Next to our car, there stood
a taxi where some Irish were inside. Wearing red T-shirts and holding
Korean flags in their hands, they shouted for "Dae Han Min
Kuk," as if they were Koreans. They reached their hands out
of window and took me by the hand. When I shook hands with them,
I felt that they congratulated our victory with all their hearts.
I could fully understand the term "global village" just
then. With these lessons, the World Cup 2002 became one of the unforgettable
experiences in my life.
The
Sorrow of the Weak
By Won Suk Bak
Before
2002 World Cup began, The Korean government began to construct ten
World Cup stadiums in 1998. The Seoul stadium passed in Sang-am
Dong where had been garbage land. The price of this land was so
cheap that a lot of small income people lived there for many decades
smelling a disgusting stench. However, when Korean government decided
to build the World Cup stadium in Sang-am Dong. Korean government
did not care about residents because Korean government's concern
was only to hold this World Cup successfully and to earn lots of
money. According to the evicted people from Sang-am Dong, The Korean
government hired the gangs to hit the inhabitants with metal pipes
and sharp knives to throw out the people in Sang-am Dong. Because
of World Cup the poor were forced out from their worthless houses.
Another example, there were men selling road foods, like a seasoned
bar rice cake and fried food. During this World Cup, the police
controlled street venders, and tried to throw them out, so lots
of merchants could not do business while other Koreans took pleasure
winning the first round game against Poland. The government suppressed
merchants because they thought foreigners might hate street venders
for their poor sanitation. However, street venders sell the real
Korean food, for the ordinary people, not for highly placed people
who are politicians or president. These foods that street venders
sell are more available to introduce Korean culture than any other
expensive Korean foods because these are able to let foreigners
feel and understand Korea. The World Cup should be festival for
all the people of the world. In spite of its result that earning
lots of money, playing a semifinal game, I think, this World Cup
as neglected the poor people in Korea.
The
Fight Against Temptation During World Cup
By Hannah Gu
To
the joy of expectant Koreans, the World Cup finally began. Unfortunately,
the World Cup came together with my final exams. I was so perplexed
that I couldn't choose where I might go: to the library to prepare
the exam or a bar to watch the game.
At first, spending time equally in each option looked simple, but
the two options needed
quite different mental attitudes: concentration as a student, and
on the other hand, excitement as spectator. The Korean team gained
victories over and over, to Koreans
joining in games turned into a "festival." To make matters
worse, when the preliminary
round with Italy was held, I had to prepare for two exams the next
day. After severe
internal fight against the temptation to watch the big game, I made
up my mind to spend
that night for studying. Because Sinchon, where my school located,
was one of the main
festival places, I decided to study at home not in the library.
It was also easy not to
concentrate on in my room, because whenever each team scored a point
or missed a goal the whole apartment seemed to be blown away by
our neighbor's great outcries and sighs. Then my heartbeat got faster
and a ringing sound went in my ear made from the loud shouts. Not
only could I not concentrate on the text but also, out of a bad
luck, the very night I missed the golden goal which opened the possibility
to Korean team moving into the semifinals. Despite all these complicated
condition, I could did my best on the next day's exam and got A;
furthermore due to the golden goal, the Korean team continued to
play after the final exams were over. Winning in a game with Italy
helped me take delight in the World Cup and afterward the street
party without any guilt. Even though I did not take part in matches
fully, the World Cup remained to me an unforgettable experience
as well as all the Koreans
My
Muddy Shoes
By Sohyun Lee
During
the 2002 World Cup, I was in Seoul watching it with my friends.
At the bar, when we were cheering Korean soccer team, I got a sudden
phone call from my mother. She said my grandfather who had lived
in Daegu passed away. I went there immediately by a four-hour-long
bus ride, but there were three days left until the funeral. At that
time, I was tutoring several students as a part time job, so I had
let them know that I had to go Daegu to attend my grandfather's
funeral. Gratefully, my students understood, but I felt guilty for
canceling the lesson because I could not tutor them due to my examination
before my grandfather's death. Accordingly I could not put them
off any more. What should I do? Some of my relatives told me that
I should go to Seoul, and come back there next day. Others said,
"The funeral is more important than the part time job, so you
have to stay here," which is what I thought. In fact, I wanted
to just stay at Daegu because I was already tired of the long trip,
if I made a round trip between Seoul and Daegu, it would take eight
hours. That meant I had to sit on the one seat for eight hours doing
nothing but just sitting in a cold and shaking bus. I did not want
to do that! Soon, however, I thought that the responsibility as
a teacher was as important as mine as a granddaughter. Finally,
I decided to go to Seoul to teach my thoughtful students, and after
that, to come back to Daegu. I knew it would be too much for me,
but I did that. Of course it was tough, but I felt comfort like
finish difficult homework. It rained on the day of the funeral as
if sky were trying to clean the cemetery. When I went to the burial
ground, my shoes were covered with mud, so I could not walk easily.
Because of the color of the mud, they looked like wooden shoes.
However, I was not ashamed of nor frustrated with them. Instead,
I could be proud before my grandfather's grave.
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