Well, let’s talk about this American football thing in Korea, you know, that egg-shaped ball game. I heard some folks there actually play it, but it ain’t like baseball or soccer, not that big.
Do they really play American football in Korea? Yeah, they do, but it’s a small thing, real small. It ain’t like the whole country’s crazy about it, you see. Most folks there, they like their own games, the ones they grew up with. This American football, it’s kinda new for them, I guess.
I heard tell there’s this group, the Korea American Football Association, been around for a long time, like 70 years or somethin’. That’s a long time, even for an old woman like me! They got teams and all, but it ain’t like what you see on TV here in America. They call it KAFA for short, these fellas must really like this game.
- They got a league, too, the Korea National Football League, or KNFL. Sounds fancy, don’t it? But don’t get your hopes up, it ain’t got many teams, maybe seven or so, last I heard. They split ‘em up into two groups, North and South, just like the country itself, funny how that works.
- They even got a national team, like for the Olympics or somethin’. The South Korea national American football team, they call it. I reckon they play other countries, but I ain’t never seen ‘em on TV. Maybe they ain’t that good, or maybe nobody cares enough to show it.
Now, this Hines Ward fella, he’s Korean, but he played American football over here, real good player, I hear. He went back to Korea some years back, and folks got a little excited about the game for a bit. But it didn’t last, you know, like when you get a new toy and then forget about it after a while.
It seems like this football thing started way back when Korea was under Japan, a long, long time ago. They had some kinda football tournaments even then, but it wasn’t American football, I bet. More like soccer, I reckon. They played something call Joseon Football back then. I tell ya, these Koreans really like kicking balls, doesn’t matter what shape or size.
Why do some Koreans play American football? I ain’t got the foggiest idea. Maybe they like the rough and tumble of it. Maybe they saw it on TV and thought it looked fun. Maybe they just wanted to try somethin’ different, you know how young folks are always lookin’ for new things to do.
I read somewhere, some smarty-pants wrote a book about football in Korea, North and South. Sounds like a whole lotta history there, but I ain’t got the time nor the patience for that kinda readin’. I prefer my stories simple and to the point, none of that fancy book learnin’ for me.
Some other fella, a sports reporter, he went and learned how to play flag football, that’s like American football but without all the tackling. Said he went to some football academy by a river. Imagine that, a school for learnin’ this game. Seems like a waste of time to me, but what do I know? I’m just an old woman.
There’s even some talk about the “historical value” of studyin’ American football in Korea. Now, that’s just plain silly. What’s so historical about a buncha fellas throwin’ a ball around? But I guess some folks gotta find somethin’ to write about, even if it ain’t worth a hill of beans.
So, to answer your question, do they play American football in Korea? Yes, but it’s a small thing. It ain’t popular like their own games, and it probably never will be. It’s just a little somethin’ some folks do, for fun or whatever reason. It ain’t gonna change the world, that’s for sure.
Keywords: American football in Korea, Korea American Football Association, KAFA, Korea National Football League, KNFL, Hines Ward, South Korea national American football team, history of football in Korea.
