Korea's Nation Fighting Team

"Daehaminguk!!" The massive crowds cheered intensely together as a sea of red. It was a patriotic duty to support Korea's Red Devils "Nation Fighting Team" in the World Cup Soccer match, 2006. Thousands and thousands of die hard fans were decked out like a bunch sorority girls in matching red t-shirts, devil horns, and other GO COREA paraphernalia.
The moment I heard the rumors about such craziness, I planned to head straight to the heart of the madness. I guess I could blame my internal journalistic nature, but there was no way I was going to stay home and watch the game on the tele. We walked for miles, it seemed, stopping at the endless number of Korea spirit souvenir stands and food stalls, walking through massive hoards of people, to finally find a great seat on the street with a cardboard box beneath my butt. We stayed up all night, waiting for the 4am kickoff. Then followed the numerous screams and cheers and organized chants which kept me awake and entertained until the wee hours of the morn. It was like at CU football game, but an entire country, that sat watching intently. Though Korea's Nation Fighting Team did not win a victory, it was still one of the most memorable nights I've spent in Seoul; spent pushing through millions of prideful Koreans all dressed in red, with no where to go to the bathroom, I might add, and returning home, tired and disappointed at 7am. Korea would go no farther in this World Cup event. But still, I am sure that this does not change the minds of the supporters. Because, if there's one English phrase I think all Koreans know, it's "Korea is number one!"