Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the changes in the game factors since the introduction of the VAR system and discuss the meaning of the changes in the K-League. Methods The game factors related to referee decisions (goal, penalty kick, offside, foul, yellow card, red card, additional time) were divided into home and away team and analyzed by two-way ANOVA for 556 games before and 583 games after the VAR system was implemented. All game factors that occurred during the match and additional time were analyzed as independent t-test before and after the implementation of the VAR system. Results First, there was no statistically significant difference between a goal and a penalty kick. Second, the offside was significantly reduced throughout the home team, away team and the entire game(p<.001). Third, fouls were significantly reduced in home teams, away teams and the entire game (p<.01). Fourth, yellow cards were significantly reduced in both home and away teams and the entire game(p<.001). The red card increased significantly throughout the home team, away team, and the entire game(p<.001). Sixth, the additional time showed no difference the first half and the entire game, and was a little reduced in the second half (p<.05). Conclusions As a result of this study, players should not anticipate offside decision and stop playing in critical situations that may lead to a score or penalty kick, and continue playing until the referee makes a final decision. In addition, all red card situations are review through the VAR system, so excessive foul play or unnecessary behavior should be avoided. K-League referees are required to make a more accurate decision in the red card situation, and the time wasted by the VAR system during the game is not much.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore ‘K League Influx (KLI)’ which is the phenomenon a number of international footballers migrate to South Korea and its factors. Methods Qualitative case study was conducted with 10 footballers who have migrated to South Korea and 4 their Korean agents. Results The KLI can be explained with four factors such as (1) Asian football dream and K league as a stop (not destination); (2) Brazilian footballer salary increase caused by Chinese football policy; (3) Financial crisis of European football market; and (4) The quantitative and qualitative changes in the agent market due to FIFA’s abolition of agent system and the development of new media. Conclusions These factors are close to the properties of external factor rather than internal factor. It requires various perspectives on sport labor migration (academic significance) and new management philosophy of K league and each club (practical discussion). Therefore, this study examined the possibility of 'selling-league' and suggested the follow-up study and policy direction related to it.
PURPOSE This study examined whether K-league fans’ responses to game outcomes align with reference-dependent preference and loss aversion principles. METHODS We collected user comments from the 2023 K-league game highlights videos on YouTube. We identified each user’s supporting team and excluded neutral fans’ comments. Sentiment analysis using KoBERT was applied, and estimated sentiment scores served as dependent variables. We performed panel regression to test whether unexpected wins and losses generate positive and negative comments. RESULTS First, an unexpected win generates more positive comments, and an unexpected loss generates more negative comments; a reference-dependent preference exists. Second, the difference between the coefficient on upset win and the absolute value of the coefficient on upset loss is not statistically different; loss aversion does not exist. CONCLUSIONS The findings derive a deeper understanding of sports viewership and explain the difference between domestic and overseas sports fans. Also, the findings provide insights into the domestic professional sports business.
Purpose This study examines legal and institutional aspects of FA Compensation System (FACS) which was introduced by Korean professional football league in 2013. Methods This legal analysis reviews the current FACS in lights of several provisions of human rights in the Constitution and other relevant rules of law. Results First, the FACS violates Article 15 of the Constitution that protects 'freedom of choice to workplace' arguably implied under the 'freedom of occupation' provision since the system restricts a player's transfer within the league by requiring a transfer fee paid by the destination team even if the player has acquired the free agency status and his current contract is expiring. Second, the FACS would likely be unconstitutional according to precedents decided by the Constitutional Court and the National Human Rights Commission on the ground that 'freedom of occupation' is closely related to the rights to pursue happiness under Article 10 of the Constitution. Conclusions Based on the legal interpretations, the study argues complete abolition or significant revision of the FACS. This project calls for follow-up studies and further policy-making efforts given the practical magnitude and scholarly merits of the issue.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the trend of K league exodus and its factors. Methods Qualitative case study was conducted by selecting 9 footballers and 7 their agents as the participants who have migrated from South Korea to China and the Middle East. Results The factors of migration were categorized as three push and pull factors such as economy (individual income and club's profit), policy (employment for foreign and military service) and environment (markets in home and abroad). To understand sport migration in the economic factor, there should be the environmental condition (overseas market) to pay high salaries and transfer fee to individuals and their clubs, and at the same time, the domestic market should be relatively poor environment. In addition, this study overcame limitations of economic and environmental factors by classifying Asian quota system and military service into political factor, and found the specificity (local context) of K league. Conclusions In conclusion, this study can be regarded as the first empirical work on sport labor migration in Korea and valuable as basic data of follow-up studies.
This study aims to provide an in-depth study on K-League players' perception and preparation process on retirement. In order to achieve the purpose, data collection was conducted in two major ways; face-to-face interviews and questionnaires from 10 currently working players. The result of study is based on inductive analysis. First of all, sense of expectation and concern, limited scope of secondary job, and necessity for career education are appeared in terms of players' perception. Second, preparation process on retirement is concluded in two categories; personal development activities(non-professional and inefficiency) and financial preparation. Thirdly, difficulties in the procedures of retirement preparation are categorized into ‘limited time and isolated lifestyle caused by staying in club house ’ and ‘lack of educational programs regarding retirement’. Depending on the results of this study, opportunities confined to retired players are supposed to be enlarged to currently working players. In addition, football club and K-League federation need to support players not only to enhance performance but also to prepare retirement.
This study conducted to explore K-League (Korea Professional Football League) referees’ psychological experience and coping strategies just after the moment of wrong judgment. Open-ended questionnaire were conducted on 35 full-time referees who participated in the K-League winter training camp. The data were categorized by inductive content analysis. The results were as follows. Psychological experience yielded 45 raw data points, which were based on the following 10 sub categories; increased anxiety, rumination wrong judgment, concern about reprimand, and feeling apologetic; and four general categories including, psychological fragmentation, feeling helpless, concern about reputation, and acknowledgment of wrong judgment. Thus, K-league referees experience a psychological turbulence just after the moment of the bad calls and worsen feelings of helplessness about the wrong decisions. Also, K-league referees worry about further disadvantages following the misjudgement and admit their bad calls feeling sorry for teams and athletes who were in the incidents. Coping strategies yielded 55 raw data points from which the following categories were identified 11 sub categories; increasing concentration, attempting to forget wrong judgment, apologizing on wrong judgment, and change in thinking; and four general categories including, emotional self-support, avoiding situation, correcting the error and thinking, and changing of refereeing approach. Therefore, K-league referees enhance their concentration in order to not reoccur wrong judgement after the moment of the mistakes and try to forget the incidents of wrong judgement. Also, K-league referees apology to the teams and athletes who experienced the bad calls and make efforts to correct the mistakes if possible. Moreover, K-league referees try to modify a criteria of judgement in order to manage aftereffects of wrong judgement and make decisions correctly by approaching the scenes of the wrong judgement. The study emphasizes the importance of referee psychological stability on the field and the need for psychological support. The study is expected to encourage further research on sports referees in Korea to ensure they receive appropriate psychological support.
PURPOSE This study aimed to present isokinetic quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength values in K league 1 (K1) professional soccer players and compare these results to those of published studies. METHODS A total of 31 K1 soccer players (age 24.5±4.2) without a history of lower limb injury were included in this study. Isokinetic knee strength tests were implemented at a velocity of 60°·s-1 and 180°·s-1 for both dominant (D) and non-dominant (ND) legs using a dynamometer. Strength variables included peak torque (PT), body mass normalized PT (NPT), bilateral strength difference (BD), and hamstring to quadriceps strength (H/Q) ratio. RESULTS At 60°·s-1 velocity, the NPTs of the quadriceps were 3.39N·m·kg-1 and 3.33N·m·kg-1 for D and ND legs, respectively, and those of the hamstrings were 2.00N·m·kg-1 and 1.89N·m·kg-1 for D and ND legs, respectively. At 180°·s-1 velocity, the NPTs of the quadriceps were 2.31N·m·kg-1, 2.27N·m·kg-1 for D and ND legs, respectively, and those of the hamstrings were 1.42N·m·kg-1, 1.39N·m·kg-1 for D and ND legs, respectively. At all velocities, the BDs of quadriceps and hamstring muscles ranged from 6.6–7.8%, and H/Qs ranged from 57–62%. Compared to previous studies that did not consider the history of injury, this study showed lower levels of BD (less than 10%) and higher levels of NPT. CONCLUSIONS The presented isokinetic quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength values can be used as reference values for the isokinetic knee strength of K1 professional soccer players.
Purpose This study aims to explore migration factors of Korean male footballers who have moved from South Korea to Southeast Asian countries. Methods Qualitative case study was conducted with 9 footballers, 4 their agents and 2 K-league staffs as the participant. Results As a result, by regarding their migration as involuntary decision, this study could provide academic and practical discussion on sport labor migration. First of all, this study established theoretical framework for involuntary migration of the participants through ‘Push-Pull Theory’ which focuses on demand and supply on the labor force. Second, this study found that a local rule (FA compensation system) of Korean professional football league (K league) and hierarchical collectivist culture contributed to their migration, which has not been reported by previous studies focused on the voluntary migration of mainstream players and it reflected local context of K league. Conclusions In conclusion, this study confirmed that sport labor migration was also considered as social phenomenon and reflected a cross section of a particular society. Through the migration of athletes, we can provide a variety of viewpoint on economic (market) structure, related policy and system in a particular society, and understand migration motives in terms of agency (subculture).
PURPOSE This study aimed to categorize consumers’ subjectivity on public value of citizen professional football club. METHODS Q-sample and Q-classification charts were developed based on theoretical background of the public value of citizen football clubs, and in-depth interviews with consumers were conducted using the Q-methodology. Q-classification and Q-factor analyses were conducted by selecting local residents as P-samples. RESULTS The public value of citizen football clubs was confirmed as ‘Type I: club-city win-win’, ‘Type II: social integration’, and ‘Type III: culture-led’. These types are contrary to previous studies that mainly focused on management and marketing, such as financial profitability and soundness, regional economic impact, and commercial value. This is the result of examining the public value of the citizen football club from based on the subjectivity of consumer, and it differs from that in previous studies. CONCLUSIONS This study reconfirmed the specificity and role of citizen football clubs in commercialized professional sports. It showed that citizen clubs must adopt organizational goal and operation method that are different from profit sports organizations (clubs).
