Now it's the turn of South Koreans to go crazy for pickleball.

The rapidly increasing number of pickleball players in South Korea has led to overcrowding at many venues, forcing clubs to seek additional locations to operate.

Once little-known, pickleball has now become a phenomenon across South Korea. (Image caption: jiahuuiii/Instagram)

The crisp "pop, pop" sound of plastic balls hitting the rackets echoes throughout a Seoul park. Playgrounds previously dominated by jokgu—a traditional Korean foot volleyball game—are now increasingly filled with pickleball players.

Once considered a niche sport primarily appealing to older people, pickleball has now conquered many new groups, such as young office workers, foreigners living in South Korea, and former tennis players. As a result, the sport has gradually become a familiar part of people's leisure life.

That trend is so evident that in April, Seoul opened a complex of 14 pickleball courts at Hangang Gwangnaru Park, one of the largest dedicated facilities for the sport in the city, according to The Korea Herald .

A new trend among Korean youth.

According to seasoned players, the appeal of pickleball stems from its much greater accessibility compared to tennis.

Cho Min-jung, a former board member of the Korean Tennis Association, said that many people are turning to pickleball because it allows them to quickly participate in matches without the years of training required for tennis.

After years of coaching tennis, she converted her indoor tennis court into a pickleball venue called Pickle Box. According to her, in the current difficult economic climate, many people want to continue exercising and participating in racket sports but don't want to invest too much time, effort, and money.

She noticed that more and more people were becoming curious about pickleball as Korean artists started mentioning and participating in the sport. This helped change the image of pickleball, from a little-known sport to a new trend that many people were interested in.

Recently, BTS members Jin, V, and RM shared in a live stream that they often play pickleball together during their tours.

BTS members Jin, V, and RM shared in a live stream that they often play pickleball together during tours. Photo: Instagram .

V said he first learned about the sport while traveling in Hawaii (USA). Previously, Jin had posted videos of them playing together on social media. Later, many videos of all seven BTS members playing pickleball in San Jose (USA) also appeared online.

In addition, the expatriate community also plays a significant role in spreading this sport. Helen Baik, a Korean-American living in South Korea, said that when she first arrived, she noticed many foreigners frequently searching for pickleball courts. Within a year, she witnessed a significant increase in the number of courts, clubs, and participants.

According to Baik, the gaming community also builds its own information boards about venues, rates venue quality, and shares information about where matches are held. This makes it easier for both Koreans and foreigners to find places to play and connect with people who share the same interest.

Emily Kim, another Korean-American, suggests that the global popularity of pickleball created the initial demand in Seoul before the sport gained widespread local interest. She attributes this to the diverse international communities that contributed to pickleball's strong spread through word of mouth.

The infrastructure hasn't caught up yet.

The rapid growth of pickleball has also brought many new challenges. Lee Chul-hee, 71, the former first chairman of the Seongdong County Pickleball Association, said the number of players is increasing much faster than the rate of infrastructure development.

In the Seoul Forest area, home to many pickleball clubs, the number of available courts is insufficient to meet the needs of hundreds of players. To address the overcrowding, some clubs have had to rent indoor arenas or temporary venues.

According to Lee, this inadvertently creates a gap between groups who can afford to rent private courts and those who can only use the limited public courts available.

People play pickleball at newly opened courts in Hangang Gwangnaru Park. Photo: Seoul Metropolitan Government.

He also noted that public investment in pickleball has not kept pace with the sport's growth. While commending Seoul's construction of a new pickleball complex along the Han River, he expressed concern about the hard surfaces at some outdoor venues, which could put strain on the knees of elderly participants.

However, many players still believe that pickleball is not just a passing fad.

Ms. Cho Min-jung believes that the health benefits and community-connecting potential will continue to drive the sport's growth in the future. Meanwhile, Mr. Lee stated that when he started playing pickleball in 2023, the community estimated that only about 5,000 people in South Korea participated. In just a few years, the number of players has increased rapidly.

Emily Kim suggests that the rise of pickleball reflects a new trend in the lifestyle of young Koreans, as more and more people seek community-based, accessible activities that improve health rather than focusing too much on competition or professional skill.

From a little-known sport, pickleball is gradually becoming more prevalent in parks, clubs, and player communities across South Korea. Despite still facing challenges of insufficient venues and facilities, many believe this sport is progressively becoming a part of the new lifestyle of the Korean people.

Source: https://znews.vn/den-luot-nguoi-han-quoc-phat-cuong-vi-pickleball-post1655957.html