Giant Robot Store and GR2 News

Maybe we’re adding more attention to something people want to forget about, but let’s face it, Korea vs Japan in anything, means more than just two teams playing a match. More than baseball which is saying lot, more than basketball which neither has much of a stake in, soccer is the largest arena of sports. Hopefully, the match happens, the best team wins without controversy, and they trade jerseys. Yes, ethnicity plays a role here. (Bleacher Report – Soccer)
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This is what it feels like when your country gets the “all look same” diss on an international stage.  Moments before this photo was taken, this guy was on his feet, cheering for the North Korean women’s soccer teaming walking onto the pitch, next to a giant North Korean flag. That was before he looked at the massive screen introducing the players, portraits and names to the left of the SOUTH Korean flag! Super bummer time. The North Korean team left the pitch for over an hour while North Korean officials reamed the Olympics organizers and demanded apologies, resolutions and gave them a reminder that “all look same” is no bueno for these feuding neighbors. The blame is falling on the guy who produced the video for the match, but it seems like someone, at some point, should have caught the error. Doubtful it was some kind of political commentary on the unification of the Koreas… (BBC News)
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Japan going to North Korea for soccer. North Korea is a proud nation, we all know that and for this game, we’ll be sure to see well dressed fans that’ll probably be well fed beforehand cheering and doing the crazy crowd organized graphics. It’ll be the first time Japan Soccer will be in North Korea to play a game in 22 years and as the article mentions is a sign of how diplomatic relations are. Yes, Japan isn’t looked at kindly, and vice versa as well. Will soccer help? No. Will the world care, no. (Washington Post – Japan North Korea)
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Sad times when an epic disaster that’s somewhat on par with 9/11 gets used in a chant against someone else in sports. Imagine if it were a 9/11 pun, would anyone in America stand for it? The soccer match was actually halted which is a miracle, but the damage was done. To be helpful in understanding, isn’t Van Damme from Belgium? Ah, that makes sense! (Washington Post – Belgian Soccer)
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