|
Sports culture in Seoul canvases a range of traditional sports in South Korea
as well as those sports imported from the West. A perfect place for the outdoor
enthusiast, Seoul has numerous sports and recreational facilities that offer a
wide range of adventurous activities to the locals as well as the tourists coming
to this part of the country. Some of the most popular activities in Seoul are
football, golf, badminton, squash and also includes other adventure activities
like boating, biking, hiking and swimming. Apart from these foreign sports, which
have gained huge popularity in South Korea, there are various forms of folk dancing
still practiced in Korea. Though these traditional dance forms do not qualify
to be considered a sport, traditional mask dance drama is physically very demanding
and tests the tenacity of the performer as much as that of a sports person.
The sports in Seoul got its prominence from the 1986 Asian games and 1988 summer
Olympics. The standards of the sports in Seoul rose extremely when it hosted
the Fifa World Cup Football in 2002(football in Seoul) along with Japan.
The city has already planned to host the 2008 Seoul Women's football international
tournament, World Triathlon in 2008 and the FINA World Cup of Open Water Swimming
in 2009. The sports in Seoul is raising its standards day by day by participating
in various events internationally.
|
