Fans from all 10 teams gathered, but 'player cheer songs' echoed instead of the grand "Great Korea" [Okazaki On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

On the 21st, the day of the first matchup between the Republic of Korea and Taiwan at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games baseball tournament, fans wearing uniforms of KBO League teams were spotted throughout the area near Higashi-Okazaki Station in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture. They were heading to Okazaki Central General Park Baseball Stadium where the game was held, three hours before kickoff.

The Okazaki Central General Park Baseball Stadium, venue for baseball and other events at this tournament, is one of the least accessible stadiums. Even from Nagoya Station, it takes over 30 minutes by express or rapid train to reach the outskirts, and from Higashi-Okazaki Station, it requires nearly another 30 minutes by city bus to climb toward the "mountaintop." During the tournament period, the organizing committee operates shuttle buses between Higashi-Okazaki Station and the stadium, but even the shuttle stops require a considerable walk from the station.

Despite this, hundreds of Korean fans visited the Okazaki Central General Park Baseball Stadium for the Korea-Taiwan match. Long lines formed to enter the venue, with most fans wearing KBO League team uniforms. While some wore national team jerseys, the majority came dressed in uniforms of their favorite KBO League teams and players they support.

Cheer songs never stopped throughout the game. There was no official cheer squad or cheerleaders, yet the atmosphere grew intense. When a few fans took the lead in cheering, the energy quickly spread to all Korean supporters seated in the stands. Whenever batters stepped up to the plate, their unique cheer songs filled the stadium. Even if they didn't know the player personally or weren't from the same team, fans readily adopted familiar opponent cheer songs they'd heard at regular ballparks. While slogans like "Great~ Korea" typical of national football matches occasionally appeared, the overall atmosphere resembled a union of fans from all 10 KBO League teams.

The atmosphere in the Taiwan supporters' section near first base was markedly different. Unlike Taiwan's relatively calm demeanor, Korea maintained a constant barrage of cheer songs and slogans throughout their offensive innings. Although some slogans emerged from the Taiwan stands after the later innings, they lacked the vibrant energy of the Korean cheering section.

Even when Korea managed only one hit over five innings, the fans' enthusiasm never waned. Fortunately, the players responded with timely offense. After taking an early lead in the 2nd inning, they extended their advantage by two runs each in the 7th and 8th innings to secure victory. On the mound, Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears) pitched six scoreless innings, while Jo Byung-hyun (SSG Landers) added two more hitless innings. In the 8th inning, pinch hitter Yoon Dong-hee (Lotte Giants) drove in a decisive home run to seal the win.

The national team also expressed gratitude to fans who traveled far to Okazaki despite its poor accessibility. They further pledged to repay such distant support with gold medals.

Manager Ryu Ji-hyun stated, "Fans' voices and energy are palpable. When players feel this directly, strong performances naturally follow. I understand the final match will be on the last day of the Chuseok holiday. We'll bring you joyful news during the holiday." Captain Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha) added, "I was nervous for our first game, but the fans' cheers helped me relax. Thank you so much. If fans continue to support us in remaining games, we want to gift them the gold medal that fans desire, we desire, and everyone desires."

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*This content was translated by AI.