Watching the World Cup in Gwangju

By Ellie Goodwin

Gwangju is a city known for its progressiveness and inclusivity, setting a precedent for less liberal cities in Korea; an ethos which makes it a popular destination for foreigners. Unsurprisingly, it has also been the perfect city to watch the World Cup, providing a safe and welcoming space for viewers, regardless of nationality, to support their team.

“One of the things I found out about Gwangju before moving here was just how friendly it is,” said expat Anna. “I watched the games at Sizzle and they even encouraged us to stay late and gave us free food. I’d always feel comfortable walking into new places without the fear of being rejected by employees.” 

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.
“There’s been good feelings all round no matter who’s playing – I’ve not experienced any rowdiness at all,” says Matt Dudley. 

For some expats, their World Cup experience in Gwangju is refreshingly positive in contrast to the more hostile, borderline xenophobic attitudes of their home country. “I’m not used to this. Back home, there’s always police around during football games because there’s issues between fans of opposing teams. It’s not like that in Gwangju – watching the cup here has been great,” said British citizen, Jenny. 

Kieran Wright expressed a similar opinion. “It’s been friendly because nobody is taking it too seriously – not like in the UK.”  Cities like Gwangju embody the best traits of supporters, which hopefully is an example that many will follow.  “There’s less of a football hooligan culture here as well as less racial and discriminatory vibes towards athletes and fans. Here, everything has felt a lot more wholesome,” added Jenny.

Not only has the foreign community been able to enjoy a hostile-free environment, it also has the opportunity to connect with locals. A shared language, similar backgrounds, and upbringings make it easy to surround oneself in an expat bubble, rather than taking the time to make Korean friends.

“I was there for the experience – I don’t know anything about soccer, and that was the same for some of the Koreans I met that night. It was how we got to know each other – and we all ended up spending the evening together way after the game had finished,” said Grace Paige. The mutual interest in the World Cup has been the icebreaker between expat and local, helped by the friendliness of Gwangju’s residents and the power of sports in helping to dismantle cultural and language barriers.

“I saw one of the Korea games at Vinyl Bar and the atmosphere was incredibly friendly – I met lots of locals and ended up singing the chants with them, and we had a great time even though their English wasn’t great and my Korean is non-existent,” New Zealander, Luke Armstrong, who has been supporting Korea during the World Cup. “Thelocals have been so welcoming and made me feel like I’m one  of the group.”      

Businesses in Gwangju have shown their hospitality, not only by creating an atmosphere to be enjoyed by all viewers but also by extending their usual opening hours. 

“Watching the games here has been very easy – lots of bars have aired games and hosted parties at 4 a.m., even if it’s not a Korean game, and even after they got eliminated,” shared Pedro Sanchez. “I think its great that sport has the ability to unite people in the way of embracing different cultures.” 

All of these positive experiences will have a lasting impression among the expat community, who will favorably recall their time in Gwangju, perhaps encouraging others to consider relocating here, too.  

The Author

English teacher by trade and keen traveler the rest of the time, Ellie Goodwin has been to 36 different countries, lived in China for over three years, and has lived in Gwangju for ten months. In her free time, she enjoys (you guessed it) traveling, hiking, reading, and the occasional soju. Instagram: @elliee_goodwin