Do you enjoy watching baseball? Did you know that Korean baseball is broadcasted in America this year? After Korean baseball was broadcasted in America due to the delay in the opening of MLB, people in America started to have interests in Korean baseball. Especially, they are very enthusiastic about it. It is because of some of its elements that draw their interests; such as bat flip, cheerleading, and designated batter.

▲ Korean baseball started to be broadcasted in America.

In America, when the batters hit the ball and run to the next base, throwing their bats which is called "bat flip" can be a very rude behavior towards their opposite team. It can be meant to stimulate the pitcher, so it was considered as a taboo in America. In South Korea, however, batters freely throw their bats during the play, so it became one of the most interesting elements in KBO. After it became popular with them, it started to show more in America, considering it as commemorating and exciting moments in any plays.

▲ Korean baseball player is trying bat flip.

Second, when you watch Korean baseball in person or through media, you can discover that people in the stand sing and repeat to the cheerleaders' song. In contrast, you can notice when you watch MLB plays that there is no cheerleading culture in there. So, it also became a major factor why Americans are attracted to Korean baseball.

▲ Mookie Betts, one of the Amerian players, is introducing KBO to their followers.

CNBC, which is an American news channel, reported that one major difference between KBO and MLB is that KBO allows a designated batter. In America, one player plays the game not only as a pitcher but also as a batter. While American players act as both pitcher and batter, KBO allows a designated batter so that pitchers can concentrate more on their balls because pitchers' exhaustion of physical strength is significant. So, instead of a pitcher, a designated batter goes to bat.

Some elements like bat flip, cheerleading culture, and designated batter are shown in KBO but not in MLB, so Americans become more attracted to KBO. As there are much fewer teams in KBO than those in MLB, more competitive plays can also be a major factor why American people have lots of interests in KBO.

July 5, 2020

by Lee Dowon