MSL 2008 Finals

I have been trying to experience as much of Korea as I can in the few weeks left before I leave, trying to see everything at least once before I go back to Connecticut. In pursuit of a well-rounded impression of Korea, I've sung at Norebang, (ubiquitous Karaoke bars), been to Korean movie theaters, (without subtitles), eaten more than my share of Kimchi, and traveled to the 2008 MSL Starcraft Finals.

Starcraft is a computer game often played in internet cafes here. While the game is popular in America, here it rivals soccer and baseball for popularity among young men. Three television channels are devoted to showing the strategies of experienced players and many of them go on to make a living with sponsorship deals and a number of international tournaments.


I happen to be in Seoul during the tail end of a computer game tournament, the finals of which were held just an hour away from my dormitory. What I expected was a few hundred intense-looking men staring calmly at projection screens, what I got was a rock concert with keyboards rather than instruments.

The two players competing in the finals.

In stark contrast to the rabid fans and high-tech lightshow of the tournament, I also went to a jazz concert later that night. Juilliard has a group of its "All-Stars" in Seoul, who happened to be performing on my campus. I know it is strange to go halfway around the world to see Juilliard when I've never seen them in America, but it was a fantastic experience as well. A Korean jazz singer, named Lee Eun Mi, did a guest appearance, belting out "Summertime" in a voice that would have made Janis Joplin proud.