From Mockery to Rowing Celebrations and Sketchbooks: A Shift in Student Baseball Culture

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Following the controversy over Paichai High School's cheering that disparaged the May 18 Democratic Uprising, there has been ongoing criticism that the deep-rooted culture of mocking cheers in student baseball is to blame. Have there been any signs of change following this incident?

Reporter Bae Jeonghun went to the field to find out.

[Reporter]

From cheers that sparked the May 18 disparagement controversy,

[Let's go, let's go. Let's go to Starbucks~]

[Tank Day~]

to twisted provocations directed at opposing teams,

[Woof woof woof! Woof woof!]

[It would be embarrassing to get hit by a freshman]

The culture of mocking cheers has been a chronic problem in our student baseball.

However, since the Paichai High School incident was brought to public attention, such behavior has become difficult to find.

While the boisterous atmosphere in both teams' dugouts remained, players now cheer for their own teammates with applause,

[Glory, glory, glory, Segwang, glory, glory, glory, Segwang]

and even lift the mood by singing their school anthems.

The space where mockery once existed has been filled with sketchbooks covered in various cheering slogans.

Segwang High School, which took the championship, shared laughs with fans by performing the rowing celebration popularized by the Norwegian national team during the World Cup.

[Park Sang-min/Pitcher, Segwang High School: Since the World Cup is trending, I think we followed the Norwegian celebration. It is much more fun and better to watch without the mocking cheers, so I think it is a good thing.]

Coaches, who were already aware of the severity of the issue, have also stepped up.

[Bang Jin-ho/Manager, Segwang High School: We talked about the intention of having a more mannerly cheering culture. I am very proud that the students followed that well and showed themselves playing baseball in a fun way. I hope this kind of healthy cheering culture becomes well-established.]

A fresh, student-like cheering culture is beginning to sprout in high school baseball, which was once rampant with disparagement and mockery.

(Video by Hwang In-seok)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.