I have never been interested in volleyball before in my life. Honestly, I didn’t even know the rules. But believe it or not, this is already my second time visiting a stadium to watch a Korean volleyball game in just one month. And I have a confession to make: I enjoyed it so much.
The energy, the shouting, the intensity—it was completely different from watching it on TV. Today, I want to share the special story of how I got interested in pro volleyball, my personal tips on how to book a ticket online (especially for foreigners), and a full review of the facilities at the Hwaseong Indoor Sports Stadium.
If you are looking for an exciting winter activity in Korea, keep reading. You might just become a fan like me.
How a Japanese Friend Led Me to Korean Volleyball
My journey to the volleyball court actually started years ago, back when I was working in Japan.
I used to work in land surveying at a small company there. It was a modest workplace, but the atmosphere was incredible. The people I met were kind, respectful, and hardworking. It was probably the best impression of a workplace I’ve had since I started my career. One of my seniors there, a younger guy but far more experienced in the job than me, became a good friend. We just clicked.
Recently, he got married to a Japanese lady. She used to play volleyball in school and told me an interesting fact: one of her younger teammates from her school days was currently playing for a pro team in Korea.
“When you go back to Korea,” she told me, “please go see her and cheer for her.”
That was a few years ago. Back then, she was playing for the Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders. Unfortunately, she didn’t extend her contract and returned to Japan before I could see her. I thought I missed my chance.
But last year, I got a message. She was coming back to Korea! This time, she joined a different team: GS Caltex Seoul KIXX.
Her name is Reina Tokoku. She is Japanese, but she has a Ghanaian father and a Japanese mother. Hearing her story, I knew I had to go. I wanted to visit the stadium, support her, and let her know that someone here was cheering for her. I wanted to raise her spirits.
Since her home stadium is in Seoul, it’s a bit far for me to travel for every game. But whenever she comes to play against teams near me—like in Suwon or Hwaseong—I promised myself I would go. Last month, I went to the match between Suwon Hyundai E&C Hillstate and GS Caltex.
But today’s story is about the match I just watched on February 2nd: Hwaseong IBK Altos vs. GS Caltex Seoul KIXX.
Booking Your Ticket: A Guide for Expats
I went to a Monday match at 7 PM. Since it was a weekday, there weren’t too many visitors, so I wasn’t worried about the tickets selling out. However, I wanted a specific seat where I could see the players up close, so I decided to book online.
Here is my advice: Always book online first. You can buy tickets at the site, but for weekend games, popular seats sell out instantly.
How to Book via KOVO
To book a Korean volleyball game ticket, you can visit the official KOVO (Korea Volleyball Federation) website or use their mobile app.
- Select Your Seat: I wasn’t sure about the view from the second floor, and the prices vary by zone. I decided to splurge a little and chose a ground-floor seat to be closer to the action.
- Check for Discounts: This is important! There are several discount options available:
- Student Discount
- Soldier Discount
- Hwaseong Citizen Discount (This is what I used!)
Since I am a resident of Hwaseong, I got a generous discount. The ticket was originally 20,000 won, but I paid only 14,000 won (a 6,000 won discount). Just remember, you must bring your ID card (ARC or Driver’s License) to the stadium to prove your address, or they might ask you to pay the difference.
Payment Methods
For payment, the system is quite foreigner-friendly. You can use:
- PAYCO (Online payment service)
- Bank Transfer
- Credit Cards issued in Korea
- Credit Cards issued Overseas (Visa/Mastercard)
If you have trouble with Korean payment gateways, look for the “Foreign Card” option.
Arriving at Hwaseong Indoor Sports Stadium
Location guide:
Address: 470 Hyangnam-ro, Hyangnam-eup, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Use your preferred map for directions.
The stadium is only a 25-minute drive from my home, which was incredibly convenient.
Parking Tips: The best part? The car park is huge and free. Since it was a Monday night, there weren’t many cars, so I parked easily. From the parking lot, you walk along a path to the ticket office. It’s a slight slope, but not steep at all. I noticed it was very wheelchair-accessible, which is great to see.
Food & Facilities: What to Expect
This is the one area where you need to prepare. There are basically no restaurants or shops around the stadium. It stands quite isolated.
- Food Trucks: There were about 3 food trucks in front of the ticket office, but the options were limited and the lines can get long.
- Cafe: There is a cafe inside the building, but it closes at 6 PM (before the night game starts!).
- Snack Store: Inside the stadium, there is a small convenience store. The prices are higher than outside, and the product selection is small.
My Advice: Eat dinner before you come, or bring your own food. While you generally cannot bring messy food to your seat, many people bought cup noodles at the snack bar and ate them in the lobby before entering.
The lobby facilities are actually excellent:
- Water Purifiers: Hot and cold water available (perfect for noodles).
- Waste Disposal: Very well-managed bins for food waste, liquids, and recyclables.
- Cleanliness: The toilets were spotless.
- Lockers: There is a storage area to deposit heavy bags or winter coats.
- Kids Zone: A small play area for children, so parents can take a breather.
- Photo Zone: There is a booth where you can take photos that are edited to look like you are with the IBK Altos players. It looked fun!
- Gift Shop: They sell IBK Altos uniforms and merchandise. (I wish I was at the Seoul stadium so I could buy Reina’s GS Caltex jersey!)
The Match Experience: Cheering for Reina
Since I booked a first-floor seat, the view was incredible. It was so close to the court! Because it was a weekday, the row I sat in was completely empty—I had the whole space to myself.
I sat in the Away Team section. Even though we were the visitors, the energy was high. We had one cheerleading captain and two cheerleaders right in front of us.
If the video does not load, you can watch it directly on YouTube here .
This being my second time watching a Korean volleyball game, I started to catch on. I’m slowly understanding the chants they shout during serves and memorizing the players’ names. The synchronized clapping and shouting is addictive. I think I’ll be even better at cheering next time!
The game was intense, but in the end, GS Caltex won!
A Special Moment with Reina
After the game ended, I waited near the court. Thankfully, Reina came over to the seats.
We had a very brief conversation. I didn’t want to interrupt her celebration with her teammates too much, but I really wanted to tell her how I felt.
I told her: “I am always going to support you, no matter what happens. You are an idol to me and my daughter. I want my daughter to grow up to be a great adult like you.”
We share a common bond—we are both from multicultural families. She has a Ghanaian father and Japanese mother. My family is South African (my wife) and Korean (me). Different countries, but the same blend of Africa and Asia. Just like when we seek out a taste of home at places like Braai Republic, finding connections in Korea is special.
I can only imagine the difficulties she might have faced growing up or playing sports in a homogeneous society. But she made it. She became a pro athlete playing internationally in Korea. I truly admire her resilience and talent.
She kindly gave me a signed ball as a souvenir. In return, I gave her the homemade placard I had been holding up during the game to cheer for her.
Why You Should Watch a Korean Volleyball Game
I left the stadium feeling lighter than when I arrived. Without Reina and my senior’s wife, I wouldn’t have known that volleyball is such an interesting and exciting sport. It has added one more joy to my life.
Leaving the car park took about 15 minutes because everyone was leaving at once, but since it was past 9:30 PM, the traffic on the main roads wasn’t bad.
Here is my final recommendation: If you are in Korea during the winter, please go visit a stadium. The V-League season starts in October and finishes around March. It’s the perfect indoor winter sport. If you are looking for outdoor activities, Naeri Culture Park is great even in the colder months.
I truly hope GS Caltex makes it to the top 3 so I can watch them play in the post-season (called “Spring Volleyball” here).
Please consider watching a Korean volleyball game. And if you do, keep an eye out for Number 24, Reina Tokoku. She has a new fan for life right here in Hwaseong.
Thank you for reading!
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