Playing in the huge Seoul Word Cup Stadium – a site that is well worth the entrance fee alone – K league side FC Seoul, clad in AC Milan style Black and Red, certainly have an impressive stage to light up.
Wednesday night games in Seoul are a strange experience: the North stand is rammed full of passionate, replica kit clad students and the East stand equally full of corporate visitors still dressed in their work suits and ties. Despite only pushing the attendance much past 50% of the 67,000 capacity stadium for games against local rivals Suwon, FC Seoul fans make an impressive amount of noise. Endearingly, they don¡¯t only sing when they¡¯re winning.
Tonight¡¯s game against Jeju United is in Korea¡¯s slightly odd second competition: a cup format that starts with two mini leagues, made up entirely of the same sides that compete in Korea¡¯s top division. It¡¯s fair to say that some of the competitors – FC Seoul included – see the competition as a training exercise more than a serious tournament. Despite the strong atmosphere Seoul chose to put out a weakened side, naming only one usual first choice player to face struggling K league outsiders Jeju. The visitors were less yielding in their team selection, and proceeded to bombard the home sides defence from he very first minute. It didn¡¯t take long for the orange clad islanders to take advantage of the shambolic home defence and tap in a weak opener.
Seoul¡¯s second string capitulation was complete with a further second half goal for Jeju – which followed the substitution of that token first team player - effectively ending their cup involvement this year. The great thing about K league football, however, is this doesn¡¯t seem to temper anyone¡¯s enjoyment of the evening. The atmosphere, noise and entertainment are more than enough.
[Input: May.19, 2008, 21:19/Modified: May.19, 2008, 21:19]
Source : Tourism Promotion Division, Seoul Metropolitan Government
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