Red Devil
Encyclopedia
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
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Origin
The club was established as the "Great Hankuk Supporters Club" in December, 1995. The current name, "Red Devils", comes from a term coined by the international media in 1983 when the Korean youth team reached the semi-final of the 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship1983 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship, the fourth edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship, was held in Mexico from June 2 to June 19, 1983. The tournament took place in seven venues — Guadalajara, Irapuato, León, Mexico City, Monterrey, Puebla and Toluca — where a total of 32 matches were...
. Because the national football team's official jersey color is red, the media dubbed both the team and supporting fans "Red Furies", and it was translated as "Red Devils" in Korean. The name was selected in 1997 as the official name of the organization.
Trademark
The trademark mascot for the Red Devils is Chiwoo CheonwangChi You
Chi You was a tribal leader of the ancient nine Li tribe . He is best known as the tyrant who fought against the then-future Yellow Emperor during the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors era in Chinese mythology. For the Hmong people, Chi You was a sagacious mythical king...
(Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 치우천왕, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 蚩尤天王). A legendary figure in ancient Chinese and Korean history, the stories of brave Chiwoo Cheonwang influenced Korean folk tales and was interpreted into various designs of dokkaebi
Dokkaebi
Dokkaebi is a common word for a type of spirit in Korean folklore or fairy tales.The Dokkaebi is a mythical being that appears in many old Korean folktales. Although usually frightening, it could also represent a humorous, grotesque-looking sprite or goblin. These creatures loved mischief and...
, which would be used in decorations for royal tombs and roof tiles. As Chiwoo Cheonwang is known as a symbol for victory and a guardian figure, the dokkaebi
Dokkaebi
Dokkaebi is a common word for a type of spirit in Korean folklore or fairy tales.The Dokkaebi is a mythical being that appears in many old Korean folktales. Although usually frightening, it could also represent a humorous, grotesque-looking sprite or goblin. These creatures loved mischief and...
-like trademark was chosen to represent the club.
Membership
Membership is open to those who wish to support the Korea Republic national football teamKorea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
, but anyone who wears red and supports the national team during games is considered a Red Devil. Many activities and gatherings are organized through the official homepage. Although the headquarters are situated in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, there are many club centers throughout the country where one can attend.
Cheering
The most common cheer is in a cadence of shouting and clapping: "대~한민국! (Dae~han Minguk, Republic of Korea)" followed by five claps (clap-clap—clap-clap—clap--, the first and the third being halfnotes). The clapping is usually accompanied by percussion instruments like the Korean drum buk
Buk (drum)
The buk is a traditional Korean drum. While the term buk is a native Korean word used as a generic term meaning "drum" , it is most often used to refer to a shallow barrel-shaped drum, with a round wooden body that is covered on both ends with animal skin...
or thundersticks
Thundersticks
Thundersticks, sometimes known as cheerstix, bangers or bambams, are long, narrow plastic balloons that are used as promotional noise makers. The noise is created when two thundersticks are struck together...
to keep the beat. It is very spontaneous. Really. It is. Like other Football supporters chants around the world. Supporters also cheer by singing the famous Korean folk song, Arirang
Arirang
"Arirang" is a Korean folk song, sometimes considered the unofficial national anthem of Korea. Arirang is an ancient native Korean word with no direct modern meaning.- Variations :...
, and various songs made for the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
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Cheering is done in stadiums, theaters and also many public plazas and squares in front of jumbo screens. On homeground, the Red Devils usually sit behind the goal at the northside of the stadium. Enthusiastic members make groups in order to attend homeaway games in foreign countries as well.
Supporters wear red, like the national football team players. Devil horns and other adornments are popular as well.