You may have planned your South Korea trip around attending a K-pop concert but have you thought about enjoying a Korean professional baseball game? It’s more than a sport. Korean professional baseball is a cultural phenomenon with vibrant energy and sense of kinship.
Since its introduction about a century ago, Korean baseball has become the country’s favorite pasttime along with soccer. Every season, the stadiums are packed with millions of fans coming together to cheer for their favorite teams. And, its not just cheering, the synchronized cheer dance routines are something unique that are worth booking a ticket for. And, if the game and dance routine does not convince you, the variety of food options with chilled beer available will make you change your mind.
Even if you’re not a baseball fan or know nothing about it, you absolutely must experience a baseball game in South Korea. It’s an experience that’ll get you pumped up with excitement and give you a taste of the country’s rich traditions!
How Korean baseball games are different from everywhere else?
In Korea, baseball is not just about the sport. It is a whole culture, with cheer dance routines, team merchandise, beer, food, and so much more. Each team has its own songs and personalized cheer chants, and they even have it different for different parts of the game. For example, home run has a seperate chant than strike. Most of these are based on popular Korean classics or latest K-pop songs. Fans change the lyrics to fit with their teams. The cheer and dance performances are led by cheerleaders and fans follow. The cheering goes on throughtout the game, even during breaks. Use of light stickes, pompoms, custom gear, and drums make it feel like you are attending a concert, instead of a Korean professional baseball game.
Korean baseball stadiums have a variety of food options, unlike their Western counterparts. From the classic chimaek (chicken and beer) to tteokbokki (spicy rice cake), everything is available at your seat. You can even get your favorite food delivered right into the stadium!
Korean baseball is famous for its electrifying cheer culture, which radiates throughout the stadium as people yell with passion for their favorite teams. Every KBO team has its own set of fight songs and personalized chants for each part of the game (e.g., home run) and each player, often set to the tune of popular songs like K-classics and K-Pop. Fans sing and dance in unison, led by cheerleaders and a cheer captain who leads the crowd during the entire game, even during breaks. They also use drums, thundersticks, pompoms, and custom team gear to add to the spectacle, making it almost seem like a concert rather than a regular sports game.
It’s world apart from Major League Baseball (MLB)!
Korean baseball is so much different from Major League Baseball (MLB). KBO fans cheer throughout the game while MLB cheering is very occasional. There are dedicated songs for each team and players. It makes the atmosphere much more livlier in Korean baseball games compared to MLB. There’s a strong sense of community and the whole environment is festive, each fan participating in cheering for their team together with everyone.
Compared to MLB parks, variety of food in KBO is much more extensive. It’s a whole culinary experience that you don’t want to miss.
KBO games are all about the social vibe, with a mix of families, friends, and colleagues coming together to cheer on their favorite teams. It’s a great way to connect and have fun, while MLB games can sometimes feel a bit more solo, with die-hard fans making up the majority of the crowd.
The KBO Teams to watch out for!
| Team | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|
| LG Twins | Jamsil Baseball Stadium | Seoul |
| Doosan Bears | Jamsil Baseball Stadium | Seoul |
| Kiwoom Heroes | Gocheok Sky Dome | Seoul |
| Lotte Giants | Sajik Baseball Stadium | Busan |
| Samsung Lions | Daegu Samsung Lions Park | Daegu |
| Hanwha Eagles | Hanwha Life Eagles Park | Daejeon |
| Kia Tigers | Gwangju-Kia Champions Field | Gwangju |
| NC Dinos | Changwon NC Park | Changwon |
| SSG Landers | Incheon SSG Landers Field | Incheon |
| KT Wiz | Suwon KT Wiz Park | Suwon |
How to get tickets for Korean Professional Baseball Game?
Where and how to book?
You can book tickets for professional Korean baseball game through official team websites or the usual Korean ticketing platforms like Interpark, YES24, and Ticketlink. The booking sites are usually in Korean but some have limited English translation options. The sale goes live for the tickets 3 to 7 days before the match. And, as expected, the tickets sell out faster for popular games and bigger teams.
There’s an option to get tickets offline directly from the stadium, but you should prebook online for bigger games. And, remember to bring valid ID if you are going to pick up tickets from the stadium. It’s a good idea to arrive early so that you can buy food and beer and take in the festive atmosphere.
If you are looking for getting tickets on a English language site, you can opt for sites like Trazy or Klook.
Seat types and price range
The price of tickets vary by stadium, team, and even seat location. It can range from 8,000 won to higher side of 150,000 won.
KBO Season
Korean professional baseball season usually starts in late March. It ends typically in end of August or early September. But, some games might be pushed back or even played later, and the postseason keeps going until October!
The 2025 season started on March 22 and will end on August 31.
The best months to catch a game are usually April to May and September to October. The weather is perfect for being outside without sweating or shivering. But that doesn’t apply to games at the Gocheok Sky Dome, since it’s indoors.
Here are some playoff and big events to keep an eye out for:
- Regular Season: Usually 144 games per team from March to August
- All-Star Game: Typically it is scheduled mid-season and has a 6-day break around it so that players and fans can rest
- Playoffs: The playoffs kick off in early October, usually starting with a wild card game between the top two teams. Then, it’s best-of-five quarterfinals, semifinals, and finally, the Korean Series championship. These playoffs are super competitive, with intense rivalries that make the games even more exciting and intense.
How to enjoy your experience at a baseball game?
Wear team jersey or colors
Show your team spirit by rocking their colors! You can get official team gear online or at the stadium. There are merchandise booths where you can buy jerseys, hats, and other cool stuff on game day. It’ll make you feel like you’re right there with the crowd!
Bring your snacks or buy them from stadium
Korean stadiums are a foodie’s paradise! You’ll find a mouthwatering array of delicious options right there on the field. From crispy fried chicken and spicy rice cakes to mouthwatering pizza, juicy hamburgers, and classic hot dogs, there’s something for every taste bud. And if you’re craving something sweet, there are vendors selling ice cream, popcorn, and refreshing sodas and beers. Plus, most stadiums have convenient stores nearby, so you can grab any snacks or drinks you need.
Get some cheerleading props
In addition to team jerseys, you can get cheering tools to make the fan experience even more exciting. There are these inflatable sticks called thundersticks that you bang together to make a rhythmic noise that spreads throughout the stadium. You can buy them at the stadium, and they usually come in team colors. You can also get a flag or banner to show your support for the team and players. Wave either of these to the drums and other percussion instruments used by the cheerleaders and fans to keep the energy high.
Tips for game day
- Arrive early: It’s a great idea to get to the stadium early to really experience the exciting atmosphere. Arrive an hour or two before the first pitch to explore the stadium and enjoy the pre-game buzz. You can also grab some food, drinks, and cheering tools. Sometimes, famous actors or K-pop idols throw the ceremonial first pitch (“sigoo”), so arriving early increases your chances of seeing these special moments.
- Game duration: Most games are about 3 hours and 15 minutes long, but they can be shorter or longer if there are extra innings or the game goes really fast. So, it’s a good idea to plan for a 3-hour experience.
- Game etiquette: Korean baseball fans are super organized when it comes to cheering, so if you’re in the cheering section, get ready to join in on the rhythmic clapping, chants, songs, and cheers! If you prefer a more relaxed vibe, you can always sit in the outfield or upper levels. Oh, and don’t forget to clean up after yourself – there are trash bins everywhere, and they’re even categorized for easy recycling.
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