[Opinion] Let`s Make ` Entertaining World Cup`

When I went to France for business last February I witnessed an interesting event.

Village where night train stopped temporarily was a peaceful one without many people.

However, all people from town were gathered at a small football ground lightened up by one road lamp and amateurs wearing uniform were threading their way on the ground, which was lightened up dimly.

Football heat that raged in isolated village was the very key of the winning country.

All people in France are waiting for opening of world cup which will revive their glory of winning pervious world cup.

Government and private groups must be very busy preparing two months ahead of World Cup.

However, one thing is missing.

There is no excitement. There are no stars, events, atmosphere to buoy with.

Which country`s atmosphere where pan- world wide sports football festival will be held is cold, weighs on mind.

During 88 Seoul Olympics, even elementary school students were roaming murmuring `hand in hand`.

However, there are few people who remember World Cup song, which U.S. popular woman singer sang.

In its place, song that students in elementary, middle, and high school are singing nowadays is melody of abusive words which conceives primarily anti-America feelings, it is known as being spreaded through one internet site.

The scene where globalists shout a war cry on the motion of players and subtle movement of small ball is enough to fill in the excitement.

Such events, like this to which World pay attention to might be rare.

Therefore, we should plan a strategy to publicize Korea`s image to the world, that is called` culture dominated country`, `IT strong country`.

However, I think, we should not use this strategy to visitors visiting Korea as before.

They will come to Korea not to study its culture and industry, but to watch football games in the World Cup.

Football game is essential `play`, `festival` and `party` for them.

They go to football ground for playing, shouting joyfully and watching trick offensive and defensive battle of players.

That is why even hooligans who are intoxicated by this game and lose their senses were born.

Thus, Korea should keep behavior of host who will treat party to 400,000 foreigners and it is important to provide play ground for them to enjoy.

Football is basically game of middle-low class people, and sport which by age teenagers and youth are crazy about, and by job, labors are.

I suppose that most visitors, except staff related to sports and business men, might be in the above level.

Therefore, it is required to prepare entertainment culture and stage that is compatible for them.

Although we propagate that Korean traditional buchae chum is more beautiful than Thailand`s nail dance or the navel dance of middle east, but if they don`t feel interested, it is helpless.

If we make stern face of `country of courteous people in the east` to the people who wants to enjoy rest of the amusements, that is left from football playground by drinking liquor somewhere, would be a blunder.

If it is foreign style that football fever harmonizes with drink, dance and group cheering, they may miss a covered wagon where they can drink without any burden, disco theques where they dance with lovers, bar where they can sing boastfully, and comprehensive places where those are combined.

If `kindness, order, cleanliness`that government and civil groups are campaigning is basic condition of festival, entertainment, drink, and dance should be contents for the festival.

Brazilians will miss Samba dance club, French who are intoxicated with `Goluaz` will avoid non-smoking restaurants, and Chinese will look for 60 degrees kaoliang wine than Andong Soju.

Basement café will be jail for those who look for open-air café and Cho Yong Pil will be strange for those who enjoy Jazz bar.

How is it, to play interestingly with them becoming one for one month during world cup, at least once?

It is most important duty for the host country to provide culture and mode of living to the joining countries.

The reason why no excitement can be felt any where in world cup hosting cities is because there is no games culture.

Teenagers must not get excited by World Cup that anticipates their team `entering only quarter finals` is like having exams without entertainment.

If world cup fever is not simple buoyancy but hopeful energy which promotes the will of pioneering the future, it originates from rapport which has no reluctance with other people.

So, how is change from `culture world cup` to `entertaining world cup` now?

Football and high level culture is somehow strange relationship, and `excessive` emphasis on order and cleanliness raises tensions to world cup festival.

Song Ho Geun (Professor in Seoul National University, Sociology)