Soccer and Rock N' Roll: What Could Be Better?

On Saturday, Rose and I traveled with a group of friends down to Suwon to see the Suwon Samsung Bluewings take on the Jeju United at World Cup Stadium. Built for the 2002 World Cup, the stadium features a huge structure resembling the wings of a bird that serves as the roof over the west stands.

We took a bus from Migeum and got there just before the start of the game. The stadium was about a third full; we could sit where ever we wanted to as long as we sat on the east side, the side in front of the cameras. The tickets weren't too expensive (about $10 US) and there were plenty of concession stands though not necessarily the kind I was used to. I got myself a beer and some fried squid and I was ready to watch some football!

The Bluewings are one of the better teams in the K-League; Jeju is traditionally near the bottom so it wasn't shaped up to be a competitive match. Sure enough, Suwon dominated 3-0 but that meant we got to see some beautiful goals by the home team.

The Grand Bleu, Suwon's cheering section, was one of the highlights. These hardcore fans stood for the whole game and constantly cheered and sang. Though the stadium was more empty than full, the game still had an exciting atmosphere because of the Grand Bleu. They waved giant Suwon flags and even lit red flares after goals!

After the game, the seven of us took the long subway ride to Hongdae, an area in Seoul known for its nightlife. Our friend Kurt and his band, Somah Dat, played at Club FF. They rocked the club with a mix of blues, funk, and rock n' roll. Kurt's a pretty ridiculous guitar player and it's always fun to see him play.

Check out "My Pictures" for photos from the weekend!