Published by the Gwangju International Center since 2001
The importance of respect is prevalent in everyday life and shows itself in sports, with Korea’s Son Heung-min being the epitome of good sportsmanship. The same can be said for the majority of Gwangju’s locals who have been following the World Cup.
On the first weekend of November, the county of Hwasun was host to the 19th Annual Dolmen Marathon (제19회 화순 고인돌 마라톤 대회). In addition to being surprisingly well attended, it was one of the most well-organized, exciting, and high-energy race events that I’ve attended in about a decade.
If I wanted to play a sport involving a bat and ball, it was cricket or nothing. I don’t know anyone in England even remotely interested in baseball. That’s probably why it took me a whole year before I went to see the Kia Tigers play.
Every Sunday at 2 p.m. – come rain, shine, or scorching summer heat – players from countries like Canada, Iran, the US, Uzbekistan, the UK, and Korea take to the pitch to show off their skills for a couple of hours. Like all sports, there can be a competitive edge to the game, but the team does not take itself too seriously, hence its slogan “You’ll Never Drink Alone.”
Following the recent article about Korea gyms in the May issue of Gwangju News and a brief introduction to CrossFit some six years ago in Gwangju News issue no. 167, I hoped to unveil some CrossFit mysteries and share more information with anyone who might still be wondering what CrossFit is and whether it is something for them. Mr. Yang In-sung, the owner and head coach of YongBong Training Center where I began my CrossFit adventure, was so kind to agree to talk to me about CrossFit in general, CrossFit in Korea, and CrossFit in Gwangju.
Gwangju is particularly blessed with an abundance of fitness centers that are more often than not clean, well-equipped, affordable, and offer a wide range of activities. If you have ever considered joining a gym and live in Gwangju, there is really no excuse not to sign up for a three-month, six-month, or year-long membership and to either begin or continue your fitness journey.
This article is just a small sample of the indoor parks in the country. In 2021 “skatepark academies” have popped up in Busan, Iksan, Wonju, Gyeonggi-do, and numerous locations in Seoul. And just to be clear, you do not have to take lessons at any of these places. For between fifteen and twenty thousand won, anyone can skate all day.
In the same way that it would not make sense to build a race track without consulting with someone who knows about racing, or to build a ski jump with someone who has never tried on a pair of skis, building a proper area for skateboarding, be it a skate plaza or a skatepark, requires close cooperation between the concerned parties: those who live near the area, those who will use it, and those who allocate the funding for it.
