Amsikle - Tuesday, October 09, 2007 6:25:24 PM

Heeeeey everyone. I'm a bit sick today...bleh. Yesterday I woke up with this sore throat, stuffy nose, and felt suuuper groggy. I'm not really sure what it is, but it's not getting better. I'm thinking it might be a sinus infection, or a product of sharing food with Pat and Ryo, both of whom are/were sick. Allegedly you can only get sick in the incubation phase of a cold, and they have been sick for about a week and half, so they are deflecting the blame, the little punks. I refuse to believe this whether it's true or not just so I can give them some grief. heh.

Last weekend was TONS of fun. I have never experienced anything like Yongojeon before, and honestly, I don't think that anywhere else in the world has something quite like it. I posted pictures of the game, and I'm working on posting Youtube videos of the cheering, because the photos don't do the games justice. No one could understand the magnitude of the cheering and screaming, with just looking at my crappy pictures. All the pictures came out blurry because everyone was moving the e-n-t-i-r-e time, so they just look like I was drunk while taking the photos. OY, but it was great. Basically Yongojeon is the series of games between Korea University and Yonsei University, a long standing rivalry that has been there for decades. You can think of it like the Michigan vs. Ohio State rivalry. In any case, it happens once a year, and basically how it's set up is there are 5 games, and at the end of the 5 games they declare the winners at the closing ceremony. The sports aren't really the focus of the games considering both teams suck at each sport, so it's all about the fun and the cheering.

The cheering is called Akaraka. In the Spring both Universities set aside a day or two with the entire student body and they teach everyone coordinated cheers. This is all in preparation for the games in the Fall. After everyone learns the cheers in the Spring, they bring their A game to Yongojeon. It's something like "you got served", where both universities try and show each other up with the cheers, their singing, music, and how long you can keep up the cheering. It's nothing short of amazing. EVERYONE cheers, EVERYONE sings, and EVERYONE does this throughout the entire game. This means you are singing, dancing, cheering, for at least four hours each time, plus the rowdiness after the games. It blew my mind…school spirit up the wazoo.

After the games, students bum rush the field, meet up with their respected clubs that have their own screen printed t-shirts and flags, and they dance in the middle of the field in circles. Then each club takes the train into Shinchon where the second half of the fun begins.

Every year in preparation for Yongojeon, clubs, bars, restaurants, and street food, make massive serving samples, over stock their shelves with booze and beer, and together take a massive hit from the Student body. Every year after the games, clubs on both sides (Korea and Yonsei University) form trains of people, and do cheers in front of each store and beg for free food and beer. They chant the Yonsei University anthem and jump in circles, and low and behold, trays of Soju, and platters of food come rushing out to the students. An unreal amount of alcohol and food is consumed that day, and it's ALL FREE. It was just so much fun! The restaurants and bars are almost forced to do this, because A. It’s been tradition, and B. if they don't, the students will boycott the facility and will put them out of business. It's insane and so awesome. While everyone is making trains of people and begging for food, students also chant in the streets with their flags dancing together. Korean University students form circles of people and cheer, then Yonsei students make a circle around those kids and cheer with them. It's all in good fun, and so awesome.

Basically, I loved it. The rivalry was all about having fun, and there was no animosity between the two groups at any point in time. Really, the sports didn't even really matter, it was more about the cheers, and the fun of it all. Korea partied with Yonsei, and Yonsei with Korea, and it was soooo cool. I'm just like in awe of the peaceful rivalry, and how unified everyone was about having it be completely good natured and fun. Back in the States, especially at OSU, people can be such dicks and not understand it is just a game. They key cars, throw beer bottles at opposing teams, and get in fights with each other. It's such a juvenile and hyper masculine way to treat competition and sports. raaaaaaar. This is where I wish the US was more like Korea in this manner. Grant it, we actually have respectable teams, and we are actually amazing athletes, but I don't necessarily think these matters. We shouldn't condone the behavior of dangerous competitiveness. I think players as well as others need to have more sportsmanship. Hmpf.

Anyways, it was great. Such a good, good weekend. Plus, it's actually fall in Korea now! I forgot how much I loved the fall. The weather is perfect, the sky is finally clear here, and the air is dry. Everyone is really pumped to do stuff outside, and I'm excited. I'm supposed to go hiking again soon, and Ryo and I have made a pact-ish to start playing tennis since the weather is going to be awesome for the next month or so. I need to get in shape too. Not working out is bothering me, and all the rice and carbs has made me put on 5 pounds that I definitely didn't want to put on. I'm not sure how people do it here...they are stick thin, but honestly, the food isn’t really as healthy as I thought it was going to be; the food is all rice and noodles, no fruit, and no nuts. There are veggies and tofu, but nothing that is significant enough for it to offset all the carb intake. I think my body just isn't used to it unlike the locals here. They can stand to eat rice 4 times a day, and not put on any weight. I was told though, that many Koreans have diet/eating disorders which might explain some of that, but still, they are just generally smaller.

What else, I dunno, things are just going well. Everyone is getting closer, and we all seem to by jiving really nicely. Classes are good, and I seem to be on top of my studies which are nice. On another note, I need to start to get back on the hunt to shop for Shannon. Fall is here, so all the scarves/hoodies are out, and are so fucking cute. I just want to buy her everything. Muhahahaha. She's totally going to have the best Christmas ever, and I can't wait to see the look on her face. I'm making decent money here, so it frees up spending cash that I can spend on her and myself. ^_^ YAY! This way I don't have to feel guilty that I'm spending my loan money on clothes.

So, I'm going to go...I need to study some more. I hope everyone is doing well. I'll be back with fun facts of Korea soon!

p.s. if anyone is interested, here is a book that has been recommended in every one of my classes: Bruce Cummings Korea's Place in the Sun: a modern history. There are mixed feelings about the book among the student body here at UIC, because some students feel that it's not scholarly enough, and too many things are put in laments terms, but the consensus is that you should read it anways.