(God that 10 day waiting period went slowly.) I'm new here so please excuse me if I make any mistakes. I'm currently living in Korea (about 2.5 hours from Seoul.) and it's become my habit to travel to see matches at COEX whenever possible. So I come bearing an faq for anyone who wants to visit matches in the future. I recommend coming if you get the chance - the MBC Game Hero Centre is tiny, but the atmosphere is usually good

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COEX Match FAQ: Where/how to go and view Korean progaming matches.

1) How do I get there? : Get on the Green line (costs about 1,200won from central stations in Seoul.) and get off at Samsung – head for exit number 6 (which is marked COEX in English.) When you come out you will be directly infront of COEX. Go through the main doors and walk straight – past the large food court (on your left.) until you are facing Bani & Lumi Bookstore. Turn left and keep walking round the slightly curved corridor. The MBC Game Hero Centre is on the left.

[Edit]

Here are the photos I promised (sorry they took so long!)

View after Exiting Samsung's COEX Exit:

Coex main Entrance:

Keep going straight here:

Lake Food Court should be to your left:

Turn left here:

Keep walking to the 'Link' Store:

And you're there:

2) When is the best time to go? : I usually arrive for 12noon which is around when the doors are opened. You can save your seats by piling bags etc onto them and then leave to find food etc.

3) Do I need to pay? : No. You don’t need passes or tickets of any kind. You can also leave whenever you feel like it. (Although crowds build up quickly so sometimes it’s hard to get out during matches.)

**I went to the S3 MSL final and tickets were also free - you just picked them up at a booth on site (DOM Arthall at Children's Grand Park.) and then queued up. **

4) Is it worth staying after matches? : Yes. Usually the winners will have their photos taken inside the main booth for Fomos/Fighter Forum and then go backstage to be interviewed. It varies between teams, but some (like MBC) even give fan-meetings about 30 minutes after they have finished. The losers will usually leave immediately so if you’re after autographs or want to give the players any gifts then you need to go outside and hang around the door just to the right of the entrance which leads directly backstage.

5) What can you get there? : At the moment they are selling the 2008 diaries inside the Hero Centre – also before each match there is a stand outside which hands out those white inflatable signs (one design for each team.) and also blank papers for making signs. (Sometimes there will also be leaflets and booklets containing the month’s new map lists.)

6) Any other tips for visiting pro-matches at COEX? :

Arrive early for matches between influential players. Lim Yohwan matches are always packed out with fanclub members. (Lim Yohwan vs Min Chanki hosted 61 ACE fans alone.)

Take plenty of bottles of water – the Hero Centre is a very enclosed (and small) room so it gets hot pretty quickly. Same goes for buying food – it’s 2.5 hours with only 5 minute breaks between matches so snacks are an essential.

Don’t be afraid to approach the players. They’re usually very kind when it comes to signing autographs or posing for pictures. Having a basic knowledge of Korean helps, but you can easily muddle your way through (even with players like Kim Taekyong who doesn’t know *any* English.)

I hope this helps anyone who takes a trip to COEX in the future. I’ll update it if anything significant changes and hopefully I can do a similar guide for Yongsan matches soon.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions/suggestions or if you just fancy meeting up to watch a match 

grobo

Japan6199 Posts

January 17 2008 14:01 GMT

Wow this is great, many people here have asked for help regarding this matter.

Great job

trollbone

France1905 Posts

January 17 2008 14:02 GMT

featured thread !! or ressource for a better starcraft life !!!

thx even if i'm not in korea

paper

13196 Posts

January 17 2008 14:18 GMT

nice

this will be tons useful in the future ;D

pachi

Melbourne5338 Posts

January 17 2008 14:25 GMT

Great first post. I dream of the day I can go watch games in korea live (with a teamliquid sign of course):x

Dknight

United States5224 Posts

January 17 2008 14:47 GMT

They sell any merchandise, specifically t-shirts of proteams, there?

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

January 17 2008 15:02 GMT

On January 17 2008 23:47 Dknight wrote:
They sell any merchandise, specifically t-shirts of proteams, there?

Only the diaries at present. I've not seen them selling anything else since I started going to matches in November - I believe KTF had a clothing sale online a couple of months back, but as with alot of online purchasing here you have to wire the money instead of paying automatically. The only other gaming related items for sale in COEX are issues of EsForce in B&L books for 3,000 won ($3). I'll keep an eye out for future sales and other places to purchase gamer t-shirts etc though.

Schnake

Germany2819 Posts

January 17 2008 15:07 GMT

On January 18 2008 00:02 nevergg wrote:

Show nested quote +

Please let us know if you are able to find merchandise anywhere, especially t-shirts. It is beyond me as to why there is no merchandise of the pro teams available. I am absolutely sure that there is a high demand for such items.

I remember seeing somewhere online a t-shirt from G.O. for purchase. I think it was airmall or something like that but they probably don't have anymore anyway...

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

January 17 2008 15:12 GMT

On January 18 2008 00:07 Schnake wrote:

Show nested quote +

*nods* Absolutely. I'm on the look out for items myself so I will post if I find anything. I was honestly surprised there was nothing for sale at the MSL final given the large turn out of fans - we got free We Made Fox keychains and mouse-mats, but there was no official merchandise on offer.

yakii

Korea (South)1448 Posts

January 17 2008 15:26 GMT

#10

awesome nevergg! featured thread please

also this must be added to thedeadhaji's Resources for a Better Starcraft Life list.

dronebabo

10866 Posts

January 17 2008 18:52 GMT

#11

--- Nuked ---

mel_ee

2450 Posts

January 17 2008 18:57 GMT

#12

ooo i love this. thanks a lot for this guide.

EvilTeletubby

Baltimore, USA22259 Posts

January 17 2008 19:00 GMT

#13

I will definitely make this a featured thread, I want to leave it in general for a bit to get more exposure though.

jkillashark

United States5262 Posts

January 17 2008 19:32 GMT

#14

neveregg is MDT reincarnated.

GTR

51619 Posts

January 17 2008 21:04 GMT

#15

Thanks

Know anything/going to Yongsan anytime soon?

Ack1027

United States7873 Posts

January 17 2008 21:43 GMT

#16

I did this exact thing and got Boxer's signature.

It was so epic.

Nice thread with good info!
Edit: Btw I got there 3 hours early for the first Boxer match I ever went to and sat in the first row without knowing that it's reserved for his fanclub, so I had to move. In my head I was thinking, what lousy fanclub members, they don't even show up before me and I flew all the way from the US.

It's okay though I was on break and they still had school ^^

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

January 18 2008 01:10 GMT

#17

On January 18 2008 04:00 EvilTeletubby wrote:
I will definitely make this a featured thread, I want to leave it in general for a bit to get more exposure though.

Thanks ^^ I'm glad it's useful. I'll be adding a video guide for getting from the COEX doors to the Centre in about 2 weeks.

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

January 18 2008 01:11 GMT

#18

On January 18 2008 06:04 GTR-2-Go wrote:
Thanks

Know anything/going to Yongsan anytime soon?

I'm taking a two week break from matches due to work, but I'll be going to more during weekends in February - I usually know the schedules about a week/a few days in advance from Fomos and here - so pm me if you fancy going to anything in Feb.