[Opinion] World Cup Seen from Beijing College Town

Here is Beijing, China. This school is a university of foreign studies where students from worldwide 100 countries are studying the Chinese. A variety of races stay together like race exhibition in a multistoried dormitory. Strangers suddenly made friends with each other for the past 2 weeks thanks to 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Who can forget euphoria and excitement sweeping over the whole campus on June 4th! We had a strange suggestive feeling because of the match orders (China, Japan & Korea) and score (0-2, 2-2, 2-0). In Beijing time, the China, Japan and Korea match started at 2:30 PM, 5:00PM and 7:30PM respectively.

We were supposed to study at the time of Korea-Poland match, Tuesday (2:30PM), but no one is in a classroom because all of us went to the classroom with TV to watch the match. The traffic was light about this time…. Chinese fans also were frantic with a joy like Korean fans of ‘Be the Reds’ just before the Chinese team was defeated against…. The Japanese match ended in a tie… Korean team beat the Poland team. All of us enjoyed a victory and celebrated a triumph.

Chinese friends told ‘Wait and see in 10 years’. A professor from Korea treated us to a drink and Korean students shouted ‘I will treat all of you’ in a restaurant. Of course, I did treat too.

Because Self-boarding Korean students shouted too loudly, they said ‘Sorry’ to neighbors, but neighbors said very kindly ‘I understand’.

After that day, we gathered around a parasol-shaped tree in front of the dormitory and watched TV. Every night, about 40~50 students gather and drink a beer watching the World Cup Game. Fans are changed upon the match.

In general, many students gather around for China, Japan and Korea game, but lots of them gather to watch the England and Argentina. Their shouts are still sounded like a wave every night. Some of them will sleep during studying.

I realized that the soccer game brings a great power to gather people. The first victory of the Korean team gave the euphoria and pride to Korean people throughout the world. Chinese people understood a mental strength of Korean and cultural subjectivity through World Cup.

Chinese Press reported the mental strength of Korean team beat the Poland team, systematic supporters and Korean hospitality to visitors. Chinese people still remember ‘Gold collection’ campaign for the financial crisis in 1997. They seemed to be impressed.

According to a newspaper editorial column, the new aspect of the Korean culture was founded through the opening ceremony of 2002 FIFA World Cup. The opening ceremony of 1998 France World Cup was performed with a joy decorated with millions of girls, but the opening ceremony of Seoul showed ‘meaning’ different from the delight. That is, the subjectivity of unique Korean culture was maintained through the title of ‘Welcome’ and ‘Harmony’.

In general, people say that ‘Korean Wave’ is influenced only by Korean movie and entertainment and so it cannot be the main stream of the culture. However, through this event, Korean showed the powerful energy and influence included in ‘Korean Wave’.

In short, In the opening ceremony and the match, Korean people have shown the developing attitude toward a future and powerful cohesion.

Overseas Koreans take pride in receiving such words of praise. But, I know a lot of political and social problems and weaknesses.

I pray to advance the round of 16 for Korean team according to the most effective theory of ‘praise’ education.

As expected, this World Cup will give ‘Korea Economic Take-off’ to all Korean people like 88 Seoul Olympic Game?