"Let's go to Starbucks": Two students from Baejae High School baseball team who led a derogatory regional chant eventually quit the sport

*This content was translated by AI.

Two students from the Baejae High School baseball team, who faced public backlash for leading a cheer chant deemed derogatory toward the the 18th Democratization Movement, have ultimately conveyed their decision to quit baseball to the school.

According to NEWS1 and NEWSIS on the 25th, two students from Baejae High School who led a regionally derogatory chant against Gwangju Jeil High School (Gwangju Ilgo) in June recently informed the school administration of their intention to leave the baseball team. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education confirmed this.

The incident occurred on June 29 during a match between Gwangju Jeil High School and Baejae High School at Seoul Mokdong Baseball Stadium, part of the 81st Cheongryonggi National High School Baseball Championship and the Weekend League King of Kings Tournament.

At the time, the Baejae High School team chanted slogans such as "Gaya-ji, Gaya-ji, Starbucks Gaya-ji" and "Tank Day." The traditional cheer "Gaya-ji, Gaya-ji, Anta chigo gaya-ji" (Go, go, hit a single and go) was altered by inserting terms like "Starbucks," turning it into a form of mockery toward the opposing team.

Especially, expressions such as "Tank Day" evoked controversy surrounding Starbucks Korea's the 18th Democratization Movement commemorative event, amplifying the backlash. Since the phrase had been used in some online communities to derogatorily refer to the the 18th Democratization Movement, criticism poured out over its use against students from the Gwangju region.

Even among baseball officials present at the scene, including KBO club scouts, there were accusations of a regionally derogatory cheer. Immediately after the game, Baejae High School's head coach, assistant coaches, parents, and the student who led the cheering directly visited the Gwangju Jeil High School dugout to convey their apology.

However, the situation escalated into the political sphere. In response, the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA) held an emergency Sports Korea Fair Trade Commission meeting on the 1st of last month and imposed a six-month suspension from national tournaments on Baejae High School.

Following this, Baejae High School initiated apologies at both the school and alumni association levels. On the 6th of last month, an 86-member delegation from Baejae High School, including Principal Lee Hyo-jun, staff, coaches, student athletes, and parents, visited Gwangju Jeil High School to personally convey their apology. They also paid respects at the National the 18th Democratization Cemetery alongside Gwangju Jeil High School baseball students and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Commissioner Jeong Geun-sik. The school proceeded with follow-up measures, including internal disciplinary actions and character education for the team.

Gwangju Jeil High School accepted Baejae High School's sincere apology and, the following day, appealed for leniency toward them. As a result, through a retrial by the Korean Sports Council Sports Korea Fair Trade Commission on the 20th of last month, Baejae High School's suspension was reduced from six months to one month. Consequently, Baejae High School students were able to participate in the first round of the 54th Bonghwangdaegi National High School Baseball Tournament starting on the 12th. In the tournament's first match, Baejae High School suffered a comeback loss against Incheon High School with a score of 5-8 and was eliminated.

Separately, Baejae High School convened its Student Life Committee, imposing severe disciplinary action on the two students who led the controversial chant and lighter disciplinary action on ten other students who followed them. The two students who received severe punishment ultimately chose to quit baseball after nearly a decade of playing.

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*This content was translated by AI.