Football fans enter Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, March 3, ahead of a K League match between FC Seoul and Gimcheon Sangmu. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

On a chilly Saturday afternoon, a crowd of people dressed in red and black, wearing mufflers and uniforms, swarmed out of Exit 2 of Seoul World Cup Stadium Station on Seoul Metro Line 6.

As early as 1 p.m., two hours before the match, festivities filled the vast space around the northern square next to the 66,000-seated area, as FC Seoul fans gathered to root for the capital's football team against Gimcheon Sangmu.

"Lingard! Lingard! Lingard!" a spirited season ticket holder in his 30s chanted, the name of the team's captain Jesse Lingard, while on his way into the stadium. With a red flag wrapped around his shoulders, he sang in unison to the cheers from the stadium, "Let's run together, Seoul!"

Upon entering Seoul's iconic kite-shaped stadium that was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the shouts and cheers of the fans filled the air, calling out the names of the players one by one.

"Let's all get up! Shout out loud! Let's run together, Seoul!" the crowd shouted.

For travelers, attending a football match in a foreign country is a unique yet familiar experience.

From the skills and teamwork of players to the beauty of the stadium, spectators can experience the hidden side of society, such as fans' cheering culture, the relationship the sport has with the region and people's local character.

This year's K League season kicked off on Feb. 15 and football enthusiasts visiting Korea are strongly recommended to attend the games in person so they can dive into local culture before it ends in November.

Jesse Lingard of FC Seoul, second from right, runs toward the ball during a match against Gimcheon Sangmu during a K League match at Seoul World Cup Stadium, March 3. Yonhap

K League is Korea's premier football league, with teams from 24 regions vying for the coveted title.

Originally formed in 1983 with five teams, the league gained enthusiasm over the 2002 World Cup and grew to include a first and second division in 2013.

It is one of Asia's top leagues, ranking third behind Saudi Arabia and Japan in the latest AFC Club Competitions ranking.

Although the most popular sport here is baseball, K League has enjoyed growing popularity recently, garnering over 3 million in the audience with the average number of spectators per game at 10,789 in the last season.

Notably, over 50,000 spectators filled the Seoul stadium last March to see Jesse Lingard from Manchester United who came to FC Seoul that year, marking the highest number of ticket sales on record.

Daegu FC supporters cheer for their team during a K League match against Gangwon FC at DGB Daegu Bank Park in Daegu, Feb. 16. Newsis

Reasonably priced between 14,000 won and 50,000 won, tickets are available on the K League website, which is accessible in English.

A wide range of team merchandise is available at reasonable prices in the stadiums, offering memorable souvenirs for football fans as well.

In the meantime, the highlight of watching K League matches in person is the cheering culture of supporters, often referred to as the "12th player."

Han Seung-min, 33, a native of Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, who has supported Suwon Samsung Bluewings since the age of 5, still cannot forget the moment when he fell in love with football and his home team.

"Every football fan knows that catharsis you can feel at the moment when a player scores, the ball hits the net and a thundering roar bursts out from the fans," Han said. "Every time we score, we sing a scoring anthem, ‘Ob-La-Di.' Everybody putting arms around each other's shoulders, feeling united in joy."

Han elaborated that the country's football fans boast a unique cheering culture that differs from that of baseball.

"The difference is that football fans never use amplifiers. We only use our voice. An overwhelming presence by the number and voice of the fandom is our pride," he said.

Incheon United supporters cheer for their team during a K League match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Nov. 2, 2024. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon

Daejeon-based Park Ji-hyeok, 26, who supports Daejeon Hana Citizen, said had has watched football matches overseas as a traveler and found something particular about the Korean football fan culture.

"Koreans cheer in a highly orderly and polite, yet passionate manner," he said, explaining that there is no hooliganism in Korea.

"Even after the game, Korean fans remain in their seats and cheer for all the players. Then players come near the seats to greet us and fans clean up all the trash after the game. That's something we take pride in as fans."

Thanks to the clean, organized culture, drinking beer inside the stadium is not only allowed but even encouraged at K League games, he added.

"Being able to drink is a huge advantage. Don't forget to bring some chicken. You can't find it during the break time after the first half." Park said.

Their trendy, enthusiastic and well-organized cheering culture has set the foundations for the Red Devils, the country's iconic national football cheering squad, Han explained.

Watching sports with fellow fans in a lively bar near the stadium is a great way to share the excitement of live matches, many fans suggested.

Lee Jae-won, a longtime FC Seoul fan, started running his working pub as a hideout for FC Seoul fans in the middle of last year. He hangs his Lingard photo and uniform on the beer tap, and plays games on the big screen.

"It's always more fun to watch the game together," he said.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors supporters root for their team during a K League match against Incheon United at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Nov. 2, 2024. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon

The K League enthusiasts all expressed high hopes of writing new dramas with this season's players and fellow supporters.

"I have high expectations for Joo Min-kyu, a front-line striker who was also selected for the Korean national team. I hope he performs well and become a top scorer," Park said.

"I still can't forget the day when my team won the championship," Han said. "Although our team is now in the second division, the supporters are more eager than ever to root for the players and I will cheer for them, too, no matter what."

Han added, "Suwon Samsung is my life-long companion."