It has been 20 days since Seoul's last match and almost six weeks since their last home game. During that time, I attended the AWCL finals and a K3 League match, but this season is about Seoul City Hall Amazones. This is the team I want to follow.
Today, Seoul City Hall Amazones host Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels. Incheon comes into the match sitting second in the league, level on points with Hwacheon at the top and Mungyeong in third. This is the same club that won ten league titles in a row before suffering through a two-season slump. They make several changes during the off-season, and those changes appear to be paying off. Incheon is right back in the title race.
On paper, I expect another difficult afternoon for Seoul. Then again, football rarely follows the script. We won't know the outcome until the final whistle blows.
I head to the stadium straight from work. Along the railway line, I notice the seasonal flowers that are now in full bloom. Korean cities are densely populated and packed with apartment blocks, but whenever nature is left alone, it seems to thrive. This month, the grass is covered by a carpet of yellow flowers.
Although I have already eaten, I stop at HomePlus to buy something to drink during the match. Once again, they do not have the makgeolli I am looking for. In fact, this time they do not have any makgeolli at all. Several refrigerators are stocked with little more than a single brand of soju and one alcohol-free beer brand.
The state of HomePlus has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
As companies like Coupang reshaped the grocery shopping landscape in Korea, HomePlus struggled to keep pace. Falling profits put pressure on cash flow, and delayed payments to suppliers eventually led some of those suppliers to stop delivering stock altogether.
The result is visible on the shelves. Refrigerators that once offered dozens of choices are now filled with a handful of unfamiliar products. Entire sections feel artificially full. It is a strange sight in what was once one of Korea's major supermarket chains.
The situation is serious for the thousands of people employed by the company. HomePlus entered court-led corporate rehabilitation and began selling off branches in an effort to stay afloat. There is even talk of selling profitable parts of the business, such as HomePlus Express. In the long term, only a handful of flagship locations, including the branch at World Cup Stadium, may remain.
For me, the immediate consequence is much less dramatic. It simply means I will have to buy my makgeolli in advance and carry it with me on match days. It is not a major hardship, but when I have to take it to work before an evening kick-off, it does become a bit of a nuisance. #FirstWorldProblems
Even though I have already eaten, I stop at a convenience store and buy a beer and a cup of Shin Ramyeon. Perhaps I am becoming Korean after all. Gogga is not with me tonight, so nobody is around to question my choices.
I arrive early enough to watch the warm-ups. The players work through passing drills while the ground staff make their final preparations. One thing catches my attention immediately: Im Seon-Ju is warming up with the rest of the squad. She looks fully fit, and I wonder whether she will finally return to action.
While checking the starting line-ups before the match, I nearly spit out my drink when I see how Fiona Worts' name is written.
Instead of using her actual name, the line-up Romanises the Korean pronunciation: "Pi O-Na Wo-Cheu". It is an unusual choice, especially when simply writing her real name would be much easier.
The most interesting name belongs to Incheon goalkeeper Seong Seoulseorabeol (성서울서라벌).
Most Korean names consist of a family name followed by a two-syllable given name. Single-syllable given names are uncommon, and three-syllable given names are rare. Seoulseorabeol, however, contains five syllables.
According to interviews, there is no special story behind the name. She simply happens to have a very unusual one. She does, however, mention that she has five siblings.
Not long after I sit down, a group of girls arrive wearing kits that look almost identical to Seoul's. The only difference is the Hummel name across the front instead of Seoul City Hall.
They are one of the club's youth teams. During half-time, somebody nearby asks where they are from and how old they are. I overhear them explaining that they are a middle school team based in Nowon. That catches my attention because Nowon is also home to the former Seoul Nowon United, the club that originally inspired this blog.
The girls behave as you would expect a group of middle school students to behave. They swap snacks, tell jokes, laugh together, and constantly check their phones. Even so, they are far quieter than many of the middle school students I used to work with.
Two things stand out about them during the match.
First, they clearly understand football. They recognise good play immediately. They react to clever passes, understand tactical decisions and know when a foul is justified. Their understanding of the game is probably far better than mine.
Second, they have a remarkable ability to join every chant. The moment anyone shouts in support of Seoul, they instantly respond. A cry of "Seoul Hwaiting!" is always met with an enthusiastic "Hwaitiiiiiing!" They never miss a cue.
The match itself is not a technical masterpiece, but it is entertaining from start to finish. Both sides play aggressively and move the ball quickly. Defenders act as the first line of attack, constantly switching play from one side of the pitch to the other.
Neither team relies heavily on man-marking, which creates plenty of space. Defenders regularly receive the ball, look up, spot an open teammate on the opposite flank and launch long diagonal passes across the field.
The attacking approach from both teams produces a chaotic opening. Incheon score after six minutes. Seoul equalise just two minutes later and then take the lead eight minutes after that. Only during the final twenty minutes do Seoul begin to sit deeper and focus on protecting their advantage.
As the match progresses, fatigue becomes increasingly obvious. Choi Ji-Na suffers from cramps and spends long periods visibly struggling. Despite that, she remains on the pitch and battles through the final stages of the match. Seoul rarely share much information regarding injuries, so it is difficult to know whether fitness concerns are limiting their substitution options.
One player who catches my attention is goalkeeper Kim Jeong-Min. Throughout the match, she seems to spend an unusual amount of time on the ground. Some incidents appear genuine, but others look rather theatrical from where I am sitting. During corners, she goes down with minimal contact, and a hand injury leaves her curled up on the turf. I obviously cannot judge how much pain she is actually in, but from the stands, it sometimes looks a little dramatic.
Round 9 Round-Up
Gyeongju finally recorded their first victory of the season, defeating Sejong 4-2 at home.
The Gangjin-Mungyeong match was postponed, reportedly because of work being carried out at the stadium, while the Hwacheon-Suwon fixture was delayed due to Suwon's AWCL commitments.
With only two matches played, the standings change very little. The only movement sees Seoul and Gangjin swap places, putting Seoul in sixth position.
