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High-tech country Koreans set new trend with extraordinary scenes
SEOUL (Reuters) -- More than half a million South Koreans took to the streets to bring a new phenomenon to the World Cup in the first finals in Asia on Monday -- mass hysteria aided by high-tech. Rather than pack into bars or their homes to watch South Korea's 1-1 draw with the United States, around 660,000 Koreans -- young and old -- packed squares, shopping malls, and other public places to scream at huge screens broadcasting the game. Towns and cities in Italy and France were often deserted during important matches when they hosted the 1990 and 1998 finals respectively because fans watched broadcasts at home or in restaurants and then went outside afterwards to celebrate. The 1994 tournament in the United States produced little excitement outside of the stadiums. But Korea is a high-tech country where people even watch television in cars, saunas and in the subway. They wanted to enjoy one of the most important matches in their sporting history en masse on the streets. The first World Cup of the 21st century witnessed unprecedented public displays of national passion in public even though the game took place in mid-afternoon on a working day. The 70-80 huge screens put up around the country persuaded more than a quarter-of-a-million people around the capital Seoul alone to go public with their fanatical support despite pouring rain. The huge crowds produced the biggest public rally in South Korea since the million-strong protests that helped topple a hated military ruler 15 years ago. "This really is hysteria," said one seasoned football official. HUGH NUMBERS Fanatical Italian fans often watched their team's campaign in 1990 in restaurants after an evening meal or a drink. In France bars were often packed for the games across the country. But the huge numbers of people on the streets in South Korea during Monday's game were unprecedented. Many of the crowds in Seoul contained children, soaked in their school uniforms in the rain but screaming uncontrollably every time the Koreans got the ball anywhere near the goal. Offices, factories and schools closed early or prepared for a near-shutdown to allow people to watch the match. In one shopping mall in central Seoul hundreds of children, dressed in the red colours of the national team, produced a deafening high-pitch scream for nearly two hours as they peered at the game through the window of a television shop. Technological advances have changed the way people watch sport since the World Cup began in 1930. Before most households in the developed world had a television, people used to gather in cinemas to watch events. The advent of television took fans back into their homes, cafes and bars to watch matches during finals in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. But the high-tech screens and the Korean passion for public displays of fanaticism has brought a new trend to the 72-year-old history of the tournament. Copyright 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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