Thanks for the Memories, Team Korea

Real life doesn’t always have happy endings, especially in the world of sports.

Baseball is no exception. It is an unscripted drama that sometimes makes you clench your fists. But that is why we love it: because the ball is round and nothing is predetermined.

Korea’s national baseball team lost to Japan, 0-6, at the World Baseball Classic semifinal against Japan held yesterday at San Diego’s Petco Park. The first World Baseball Classic (WBC) champion will be determined by the outcome of the final match between Japan and Cuba at 11:00 a.m., March 21.

Korea may have lost, but its achievements still shine. It lost once and won six times. We can hold our heads high. It is difficult to beat any team three times in a row, never mind Japan, which, on paper, is the more talented team.

Let us not forget that our initial goal was to make the final eight and get on an airplane to the U.S. We achieved that goal and then some. Thanks to Team Korea, the people of this nation have had something to root and rally together for. Despite the chill of early spring, we gathered to cheer at Seoul Square and Jamsil ballpark and heard shouts of “Dae-han-min-guk” and “Oh-pilseung-Korea” in Incheon, Daegu, Guangju, Ulsan, Pohang, and Goyang.

That spirit was not lost in the U.S., either. Korean-Americans flocked to the ballpark to root for the old country. In the two Korea-Japan matches in Anaheim and San Diego, Korean fans overwhelmed their Japanese counterpart. American fans joined in the chant of “Dae-han-min-guk.” Lee Seung-yeop’s (Yomiuri) consecutive home runs made Major League ball clubs regret not recognizing his talent two years ago. Park Chan-ho (San Diego Padres) showed promise as both closer and a starter. And slugger Kim Dong-ju (Dusan), who was left off the team due to injury, accompanied the team to the U.S. and gave it moral support.

Hwan Soo Zang zangpabo@donga.com