The monthslong coronavirus pandemic has affected much of South Korean society, and the sports sector is one of many that has felt the brunt of the crisis. Athletes in nearly all sports play in empty stadiums, while others have had their seasons canceled. 

Aiming to reignite fans’ passion for volleyball amid the pandemic, the Hyundai Capital Skywalkers, owned by auto financing firm Hyundai Capital, recently organized an online event to show fans around the team’s locker room at its home stadium in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.
 
During the 10-minute event held Oct. 10 before a match, the Skywalkers also took fans’ questions on the team’s official YouTube channel.

Outside the stadium, citizens within a radius of 2 to 3 kilometers could see light-emitting diode lights in the sky -- a signal that the volleyball match was going on. The 36 lights shone like laser beams 1.5 kilometers high, representing the 36 matches to be held in the domestic volleyball league’s 2020-21 season.




Hyundai Capital said it organized a series of events to deliver hopeful messages to people who may have been frustrated by the prolonged pandemic.

“The Skywalkers are trying to create a new cultural trend in the volleyball sector, both online and offline,” said an official from the financial firm.

(wone0102@heraldcorp.com)