Navigating Yon-Ko Games as a Foreigner

One of the most popular events that happens yearly at Yonsei University is the Yon-Ko games. The games are the five major sports at Yonsei University versus Korean University and they compete in their longtime rivalry to see who will come out on top in Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Soccer and Rugby!

Every year it alternates where they will be held and this year they were at Yonsei University! Which is helpful since thats where I go. 

The rivalry goes all the way back to the 1900s and it didn't start because of competition, but because of the shared aspirations for a liberated Korea since at the time Korea was not an independent nation. 

For those of us in the US their preparation for Yon-Ko games is similar to what we would call homecoming, hosting various pep/cheer events leading up to the games and keeping the vibes up and happy to cheer our school on. 

The joint cheering event between Yonsei and Korea is such a super fun event to experience, even though this year it was down-pouring, it didn't stop the energy from being really high as each school attempts to out cheer the other. 

They even put up banners in the cities that the schools are located in poking fun at each other, KU calling us (Eagles) chickens and us calling them (Tigers) kittens. Which I love because a little teasing rivalry is always a good time. 

The week before the games though came just a little bit of bad news. One of them being that exchange students couldn't go to all the games due to spacing issues, so we were only allowed to go to the soccer game and baseball game (which I didn't mind to much because I love soccer). But that meant that we couldn't watch basketball or Hockey in person which was a little disheartening. However there was nothing we could do so we just dealt with it. 

We didn't let that deter us though! We made sure to get there bright and early for soccer and baseball to get really good seats and to make sure spirits were high so we could cheer for our teams!

Watching the Akaraka cheerleader cheer constantly throughout the heat during the baseball game like they powered through the rain at the joint cheering event really lifted spirits and kept energy high, even though we took a quite devastating loss in baseball (4-0). It really made me step back and realize that these games no matter who wins or losses is really just about fun, yes the schools have a competition but its all fun and games at the end of the day. 

And the next day after baseball when we took a joint victory of the games with the win in soccer (2-1). Due to Rugby not being included this year, due to unforeseen circumstances, Yonsei took victory in Soccer and Basketball and KU took the victory in Hockey and Baseball, ending this years game in a tie. Everything was just one big festival between both schools.  KU students went to celebrate with Yonsei and Yonsei Students went to celebrate with KU (me included) 

And was it upsetting that we weren't allowed to attend half the games due to being exchange students? Yes. But stewing on that wasn't gonna change anything so rather than letting that ruin our time, we just went out and had the time of our lives at the games we went to and celebrated with both schools after the fact. And I would do it all again in a heartbeat! 사랑해요 연세!