Busan is buzzing with the success of Lotte, the top-ranked baseball team in Korea.
Sajik Baseball Stadium is said to have a festival-like atmosphere.
Reporter Lee Ji-Eun went there.
[Reporter]
Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan before a home game.
It’s a weekday, but fans start gathering long before the game starts.스포츠토토
Lotte has won nine games in a row for the first time in 15 years and is in a tight three-way tie with LG and SSG.
Lotte fans, known for their love of baseball, are having a great time.
[Lee Da-eun / LOTTE Giants fan: The team has changed a lot from last year and the pitchers are doing well, so I think we’ll win].
[Bu Chang-yong / Lotte Giants fan: I cheer for Lotte even if they don’t do well, and this year they’re doing so well that I feel so good, so I’m cheering harder].
[Kim Jae-min / Lotte Giants fan: I feel so good, I hope Lotte will play autumn baseball by all means, cheers].
The crowd has also grown significantly.
On average, more than 12,000 people visit the stadium every day, including weekdays, which is a 43% increase from last year, when it was around 8,000.
[Kim Won-joong / LOTTE Giants Pitcher: I feel like I can always have more fun playing because the stadium is so full].
[Kim Min-seok / LOTTE Giants Outfielder : I think it’s really encouraging and grateful that so many fans always come to the ballpark to support us].
The bag cheer has been replaced with a pair of cheers to help protect the environment, but the mid-game transformation into a giant karaoke bar remains the same.
Sajik Baseball Stadium, which is said to be the world’s largest karaoke bar, has become a hotspot for Lotte’s transformed performance.
From a traditional favourite to a powerhouse.
The new Lotte is leading the way in the popularity of baseball this season, which began with concerns and bad news.