Prior to last weekend, I never expected for there to be any overlap between K-pop and baseball. I was proven wrong when, while watching a game, I recognized the sound of BTS’ ‘Burning Up (Fire)’ when it played as a batter’s walk up song.
After a quick Google search, I found that Ji-Man Choi, who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates, has been using it as his walk up song since his time with the Tampa Bay Rays (https://995qyk.com/2021/04/01/tampa-bay-rays-release-walk-up-songs-playlist/). However, just like in Pittsburgh, his song choice stood out compared to the walk up songs of his teammates and other players. Most MLB players are men older than 20, which is not the typical demographic of K-pop fans. Typical choices for walk up songs are usually popular rap or classic rock songs, or Latin rap music for Latin American players. Whatever the genre preference of the player, the songs are usually well known by fans and able to hype up everyone in the baseball stadium.
With both heavy beats and lyrics practically meant to pump people up within the first few seconds of the song, “Burning Up (Fire)” sounds like an appropriate walk up song. As one of BTS’ edgier and more aggressive songs, its sound objectively fit right in. Yet, I suspect that it was one of the least recognized walk up songs of the game, especially since the MLB has been dealing with an aging fan population that is mostly male. I’m sure that only K-pop fans in the stadium would have recognized it as K-pop. Still, I’m positive that those K-pop fans would have been delighted.
Image link: https://triblive.com/sports/ji-man-choi-hits-1st-homer-of-spring-training-against-former-team-as-pirates-beat-rays/
As it turns out, Ji-Man Choi isn’t even the only player to have used “Burning Up (Fire)” as his walk up song. Shin-Soo Choo, who played for the Texas Rangers, also chose the song for his walk up music (https://sports.news.naver.com/news?oid=109&aid=0003772382). As expected, a few BTS fans have even tweeted about his walk up song choice:
Perhaps more importantly, the song seems to act as a nod to both players’ Korean nationality, an important aspect of their identity as they play baseball abroad in America. On top of that, it is just another example of how K-pop is helping to promote Korean culture globally, even reaching unsuspecting audiences.
In South Korea, baseball is also a popular sport. According to Thomas Harrigan from MLB.com, baseball was introduced in Korea by American missionaries sometime around the late 1800 or early 1900s. Furthermore, he mentions Japan’s colonial rule of Korea from 1910-1945, a time during which baseball had soared in popularity in Japan (https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/south-korea-baseball-history#:~:text=Philip%20L.,began%20to%20flourish%20in%20Japan.). Like American and Japanese influences on Korean music during this time, baseball shares a similar history.
K-pop further relates to baseball due to it being popular for idols to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in games. More specifically, there have been many examples of girl group members doing so, including members from Girls’ Generation, SNSD, Red Velvet, and T-ara. Likewise, male idols from Enhypen, EXO, and NCT 127 have all also thrown first pitches recently. For idols, it serves as a way to engage with fans and promote comebacks, while for baseball teams, it is a way to entertain and attract K-pop fans to baseball. Koreaboo.com even mentions that it is common for these idols to take it seriously enough to practice throwing again and again before the event. Still, while some make good throws, many idols do not; either way, fans typically enjoy the spectacle (https://www.koreaboo.com/stories/7-female-idols-who-surprised-fans-with-their-baseball-skills/).
Enhypen, while visiting California for KCON last year, also made a stop by Dodger Stadium for a pregame interview and to throw out the first pitch in honor of Korean Heritage Night at the park (https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/enhypen-first-pitch-dodgers-korean-heritage-night-1235128182/). During the interview, Engenes (the name for Enhypen’s fans) were mentioned and could be heard screaming throughout the baseball stadium.
All of this shows the global nature of K-pop and baseball, and the shared history between the two. While it’s true that they are a pairing that many of us might not have expected, they are actually quite related. Global fans of both serve as examples of the cultural exchange that has occurred between Korea and America, which has created the opportunity for both spheres to collide and intermix. Fan culture, which is crucial to both K-pop and baseball, continues to break down global barriers.
Image link: https://www.allure.com/story/k-pop-twice-makeup-major-league-baseball-campaign
Musings on K-pop by Duke Univ. Students 
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