Bullfights luring fans
By Kim Tae-jong
In much the same way as Korean traditional wrestling, or ssireum, is losing popularity, bullfighting is similarly no longer attracting the same crowds as before. To rekindle public interest in the traditional “sport” that dates back more than 1,000 years, Cheongdo, a small county about 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is adding a new feature to the sport: betting.
Thousands of spectators flocked to a newly-opened stadium for bullfights in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, this and last week, many of them in anticipation that they would not only see bulls fight but also gain some prize money by betting on the winning bull.
The domed stadium for bullfighting, opened on Sept. 3, underscores Cheongdo government’s efforts to develop a new source of tourism.
Underlying the grand fanfare are concerns that bullfight betting might only encourage gambling addicts and tarnish the meaning of the unique Korean tradition.
Cheongdo is well-known as the home for bullfights and hosts a traditional bullfight festival every spring.
The county has long pushed forward a plan to construct a stadium for bullfights since 2002 so that the sport could be staged all year round.
Spectators will be able to see 10 bull fights every Saturday and Sunday. Entrance is free. For those who want to, they can bet up to 100,000 won per bout.
Since the official launch, about 40,000 spectators visited the venue, betting 100 million won on average each day, according to the organizers.
Unlike bullfights in Spain, Korean bullfighting doesn’t pit men against bulls or kill the animals. Instead, bulls fight each other in a fenced, open-air, sand arena, egged on by their trainers. Each round can end in a matter of minutes, or last a couple of hours until one bull turns its tail and retreats.
Arguing the tradition is “barbaric” animal rights groups such as the Korea Association for Animal Protection have expressed their opposition against bullfights.
Other civic groups even in support of bullfights criticize the Cheongdo county for linking the tradition with gambling.
“It’s wrong to combine traditional bullfights and gambling,” said Park In-kyu, secretary general at the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy in Daegu. “It will only distort the image of the tradition in the end.”
In response to the criticism and concern, the county government said they will closely monitor matches so as to prevent excessive gambling.
“We will make sure that people cannot place a bet more than the legal limit. We’ll make efforts to develop the tradition as a new source of tourism and leisure,” a county official said.