Today will likely be the last away trip to Incheon for the current season, as Seoul faces the Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels. I’m looking forward to it because it’s a Saturday match, but I am also dreading the journey.
The Red Angels play at Incheon Namdong Rugby Stadium, and no matter how carefully I plan these trips, something usually goes wrong. Still, Saturday gives us plenty of time to work with, so we leave early, figuring four hours is more than enough. We planned to have dinner near Ansan Station before heading to the stadium.
Lunch in Wongok-dong
Many visitors know Itaewon as Seoul’s international neighbourhood, but its reputation is a little outdated. It is still international, but years of gentrification have transformed it from the gritty district that once catered mainly to English-speaking and African expatriates into a much trendier area largely filled with Korean visitors. Redevelopment in nearby residential neighbourhoods also pushed the foreign community further away into the capital.
One expatriate hangout that has hardly changed is Wongok-dong, near Ansan Station. For years it has been home to communities from across Asia, making it one of the best places in Korea to find authentic Asian food. Curiously, though, Filipino restaurants are still surprisingly difficult to find, even here.
Their menu perfectly reflects Uzbekistan’s location at the crossroads of Asia. Rich, fatty meats, oily rice and dense breads provide the kind of hearty food needed to endure long, harsh seasons. Alongside them are dumplings that would not look out of place in East Asia, spices that hint at South Asia, and soups that would feel perfectly at home in Russia. The food isn’t particularly cheap, but the portions are enormous. Depending on your appetite, two people could easily share a single meal.
After lunch we browse the small shop attached to the restaurant. I pick up a can of something called Ayran, a fermented milk drink, planning to save it for the match later.
The Oido Curse
Back at Ansan Station, we make the short journey to Oido Station, the station that is responsible for so much past misery. You may recall that on my most recent visit I managed to catch the wrong bus and travel in the complete opposite direction from where I needed to go.
Today isn’t much kinder. We compare every possible route to the stadium, trying to work out which one will get us there the quickest. Amazingly, every combination of buses and trains takes more than an hour, even though the stadium is only about 8.5 kilometres away.
To put that into perspective, I could comfortably cycle the distance in less than thirty minutes.
The match kicks off in less than an hour. I do not want to deal with this stress again, so I suggest a taxi instead. It’s expensive, but some things are worth paying for, and solving another Oido Station disaster is definitely one of them.
A Better Matchday Atmosphere
The stadium feels far more alive than it did on my previous visit, a cold weekday evening. A match on a warm Saturday evening makes a huge difference.
Near the entrance, a small football game offers supporters the chance to win prizes by kicking a ball at targets. We’re the only people nearby, but the two young men running the stand make no attempt to wave us over. Even the two cheerleaders standing nearby seem perfectly content chatting with each other while holding signed footballs, ignoring our arrival. I don’t expect a parade, but we are the only spectators within sight. Even a wave would make their presence seem reasonable.
We make our way to the away section where Incheon Man is already watching the players warm up. Unlike us, who have to complete what feels like a main quest just to reach the stadium, he lives nearby. In fact, he tells us his high school was right next door. I can’t help feeling a little envious. Imagine having your team practically on your doorstep. Even FC Anyang takes me around forty-five minutes to reach by bike or bus.
We also bump into our acquaintance from HL Anyang. I’d completely forgotten that he supports the Red Angels. He tells us he normally leads the drumming on the Incheon side, but he injured his wrist, so someone else is taking over today.
He confidently tells us Seoul should win because Incheon aren’t playing well at the moment. The funny thing is, I think exactly the opposite.
I’m expecting Incheon to win because Seoul haven’t exactly been in great form either. It’s not often you find two opposing supporters trying to convince each other that their own team is going to lose.
Another Signed Ball
Before kick-off, I notice something interesting. Quite a few supporters are already walking around with signed footballs. For some reason, I suddenly decide I want one as well.
Then number 18, Bak Mi-Deum, catches my eye. She gestures towards me, silently asking whether I’d like a ball. I nod, and a second later it’s flying through the air towards me. I make the catch and thank her before heading back to our seats.
I now have a “collection” of two signed balls, and I’m wondering whether I should try to collect one from every WK League club this season. Suwon and Gyeongju sell theirs online, but for the remaining clubs I’ll probably have to rely on Instagram messages. Judging by my previous attempts, that may prove to be the hardest challenge this season.
A Much-Needed Victory
The match begins at a good pace, and immediately it becomes clear that these two sides are evenly matched.
Seoul move the ball around with far more confidence than they have in recent weeks. They even manage to put together some impressive passing sequences. I’m still not entirely convinced that Seoul are suddenly playing brilliant football, though. Part of me thinks Incheon are allowing them more time on the ball.
When Seoul play against a side like Suwon, every touch is immediately pressured. A defender appears almost the instant a player receives the ball. Incheon, by comparison, seem happy to sit off and allow Seoul time to build attacks. It probably isn’t one thing or the other. The reality is likely somewhere in the middle.
Gogga is sticking with a beer, and we share the biltong I made yesterday. For anyone unfamiliar with it, biltong is South African-style dried beef. Unlike beef jerky, which is dried and cooked using gentle heat, biltong is air-dried and effectively still raw. The seasoning is different too, with coriander forming the backbone of almost every recipe. In my admittedly biased opinion, biltong is the king of all dried meats.
The football and snacks aren’t the only things of interest. To our left sits one of the doggo families. Seoul’s number 2 Bin Hyeon-Jin is suspended after being sent off last week, so instead of playing she spends the afternoon watching from the stand with her family. She only heads down to the pitch during the warm-up, at half-time and after the final whistle.
The supporters to our right also appear to be relatives of one of the players, and I suspect the group a few rows in front of us are as well. It is slightly sad that more than half of the away support is made up of family members.
We don’t really chat beyond asking for the photo, but at least we’ve now interacted. Maybe next time I can say hello properly instead of just recognising them from across the stand.
The football also gives me some of my favourite photographs of the season.
One sequence captures the goalkeeper diving full stretch in an unsuccessful attempt to save Seoul’s first-half penalty. The handball decision is obvious. It’s unfortunate for the defender, but there’s no real argument. The shot is clearly heading towards goal, and the player herself doesn’t even try to protest.
A little later I manage to photograph another memorable moment.
Even better, another photo catches the referee holding up the yellow card while the coach is being restrained. That’s definitely a keeper.
Not long after the manager’s outburst, Seoul produce the moment that settles the match. Kim Min-Ji receives the ball inside the penalty area with plenty of room to work. She shrugs off a defender before calmly placing her shot beyond the goalkeeper to make it 2–0.
The goal celebration is almost as entertaining as the finish. She and Han Jae-Rin launch into what is clearly a rehearsed handshake routine, only for at least one of them to forget the sequence halfway through. The whole thing falls apart, but somehow that only makes it funnier.
The two of them seem to get on really well, and we’ve started jokingly calling Han Jae-Rin “Mi Ni-Ji.”
Han Jae-Rin is number seven. Two sevens make fourteen. Kim Min-Ji wears number fourteen. So naturally Han Jae-Rin is half a Min-Ji, or Kim Min-Ji is double Han Jae-Rin. It’s complete nonsense, of course, but it still makes us laugh.
After the final whistle, the mood is completely different from the last time we watched Seoul play. The players gather briefly for a team talk before drifting off to spend time with family and supporters.
Kim Min-Ji calls over the dachshund that usually wears a Seoul shirt before posing for photos with the dog and Han Jae-Rin. Other players wander across to chat with family members in the stands, and everyone seems relaxed and happy.
It’s amazing how different the team looks after a win compared to after a defeat.
This victory pulls Seoul right back into the mid-table battle. They are not far from that elusive playoff position, and their next few league matches are all against similarly inconsistent teams.
Who knows? Maybe this time next month we’ll see Seoul sitting in third place and trying to hold on to a playoff spot.
The SD Card Strikes Again
On the journey home, I start looking through the photos on my camera. Or at least I try to. I remember I never put the SD card back into the camera. Again.
The worst part is that I’d actually intended to do it the day before. Instead, I put the card down “just for a moment,” moved a few things around on my desk, and it promptly disappeared from sight.
Out of sight, out of mind.
I know exactly how to stop this from happening. I also know I’ll probably forget again. It’s unbelievably frustrating.
Still, all isn’t lost. At least I managed to capture a few moments of the day on my phone, even if my best camera never took a single photo.
Round 16 Results
Incheon Hyunsai Steel Red Angels 0-2 Seoul City Hall Amazones
Suwon FC Women 0-0 Hwacheon KSPO
Gyeongju KHNP 0-0 Sejong Sportstoto
Mungyeong Sangmu 0-1 Gangjin Swans
League Standings
| Team | Played | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Suwon | 16 | 37 |
| 2. Hwacheon | 14 | 29 |
| 3. Mungyeong | 16 | 23 |
| 4. Gyeongju | 16 | 21 |
| 5. Incheon | 15 | 21 |
| 6. Sejong | 16 | 18 |
| 7. Seoul | 15 | 18 |
| 8. Gangjin | 16 | 11 |
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