[Better Together] Where anyone who loves LG Twins is welcome

Kim Yong-ki, a passionate, 31-year-old LG Twins fan who has been heading to Jamsil Baseball Stadium -- the home turf for the Twins -- in Songpa-gu, southeastern Seoul, every baseball season since 2011, started watching baseball games with total strangers in 2023.

He knew nothing about them, but that was not a problem as long as they were LG Twins fans.

“‘LG Eopsineun Motsara’ -- meaning ‘No LG, no life’ in Korean -- is a live baseball game-watching crew whose members gather together to cheer the Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium,” Kim, one of the two managers of the crew, said in an interview with The Korea Herald on May 24.

While the game-viewing club welcomes all LG Twins fans, they need to be between 25 and 34 years old.

“LG Twins is a baseball club with a rich history, so there are many communities and supporter clubs of old fans. It may not be easy for young fans to simply sign up and enjoy watching baseball games with people who are 30 (or even 40) years older. We were reluctant to accept those under 25, because most of them need to devote themselves to their studies,” Kim said, explaining the group's age restrictions.

Individual members can either freely explore the areas nearby the stadium or wait for the players for an autograph ahead of the match, but the members of “No LG, no life” come together almost as their own team as the starting time of each match draws near.

The members drink beer, hold up their favorite players’ jerseys and sing the cheerleading songs together throughout the entire match.

The crew always holds an afterparty for members to get to know each other better.

“There are not many moments of silence at our afterparty. Everyone becomes great friends after talking about their favorite players, why they became Twins fans, giving feedback on the day's match and finding their own MVPs,” Kim told The Korea Herald.

“Because our members were all once newcomers to the club, we are aware of the awkwardness when you are surrounded by strangers on your first day. But, it doesn't take a lot of time for newbies to become part of the club. I think that’s because we simply love our team, LG Twins,” he said.

Kim feels that the number of live baseball-viewing communities has grown in recent years as more young fans have become interested in baseball.

After the Twins became South Korea's baseball champions for the first time in 29 years, this club experienced a few changes as well.

“Winning last year’s Korean Series over the KT Wiz was huge. Many new members joined the crew this year, especially female supporters who have recently gotten to know about baseball. We have around 50 members now,” he said, showing the heated mobile chat room before viewing a match on May 25.

“The original members were passionate enough to go to screen baseball places, where they can step in front of a screen and face a virtual pitcher who draws a ball to swing at. Others even went outside of Seoul to cheer at away games in Suwon, Incheon and even Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province,” said a beaming Twins fan.

Kim explained that he feels the club is becoming more than just watching live baseball games together.

Even though there are no baseball games on Mondays, the members chat about the latest sports news online, celebrate members’ birthdays in person and share information about new merchandise.

“We are certainly getting closer, so the club is preparing a two- or three-day trip and an away-game tour outside of Seoul this summer as well. I hope to keep our club’s caring, friendly atmosphere intact and welcome other Twins fans in the near future,” Kim said.

Koreans find friends and build connections beyond their existing social networks by meeting people who share common interests in clubs, called "donghohoe" in Korean. The Korea Herald introduces some unique clubs in this series, giving a peak at social life in Korea. -- Ed.