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World Cup is the Talk of LA's Koreatown

With the team's next game late Sunday night (PDT) against the United States, hundreds of people were expected to converge at Koreatown's bars and restaurants to watch.

``If you're Korean, this is a big deal,'' said John Cho, assistant editor of the Korea Times.

In shopping malls and grocery stores, merchants were giving away free South Korean flags and T-shirts in red, the color of the Korean team's uniform. Editors at two major Korean daily newspapers say special news editions for the World Cup are quickly disappearing from the racks. Dozens of restaurants and bars have stayed opened late to accommodate diehard fans.

``There are a lot of zombies out there,'' Cho said. ``Soccer is one of those sports where you've got to watch it live. So a lot of people have been complaining about the lack of sleep.''

The downside to soccer madness?

Business in this booming neighborhood has slowed, said Francis Hur, executive director of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, a community service group.

``The store owners close their shops early to go home, sleep, and watch the games,'' he said.

Some 200,000 strong, the city's Korean population has high hopes for South Korea's chances in the next game, said Michael Hong, 68, chairman of the Council on Democratic and Peaceful Unification of Korea.

``This is a significant event for Korean Americans,'' he said. ``It's a chance for us to be proud of our motherland, and a chance for South Korea to show that small guys can do big things.''

Some Koreans, however, have mixed emotions as South Korea squares off against the United States.

``I'm betting on the U.S. team,'' said Allen Lee, 38, who was strolling Saturday in an upscale Korean mall. ``I grew up here and am more used to rooting for American teams. Besides, this is a big moment for the U.S., too.''

Indeed, the American team's 3-2 upset over Portugal last week was its biggest World Cup victory in 52 years, leaving many to wonder if another win will spawn greater interest in the sport in America.

The winner of Monday's game in Daegu, Korea, could advance to the second round, depending on what happens in the Portugal-Poland match later that day.