By: Eva Huang

In South Korea, rock climbing has become increasingly popular. South Korea was introduced to rock climbing in the 1990s. Now, there are over 600 built climbing areas in the country, and over 500,000 participants have taken up the sport.

The 2019 Korean movie Exit inspired many rock climbing enthusiasts. The movie featured several scenes of rock climbing, and after watching it, many Korean viewers became curious and interested in rock climbing.

Some joined the sport because they liked the mental and physical challenges they faced while climbing, such as strength, pressure, endurance, and agility. Others thought of it as a fun and exciting new sport. Many young kids have become involved in the sport.

Harry Kim, a young author from Scholastic Kids Press, questioned two young children about why they chose to rock climb. One of them, a 12-year-old boy named Shin Hayeon-gyu, said, “I got hooked [with rock climbing] after watching the Asian Games and seeing climbers in action.” The other young climber, also 12, is Kim Ji-eun. She said, “I enjoyed climbing things when I was little, so climbing seemed like the perfect sport for me.”

Both of the 12-year-olds had a similar opinion on rock climbing. They thought of it as a fun, entertaining sport. Shin Hayeon-gyu said, “It’s fun to hang on the wall and use the strength in my arms.” Kim Ji-eun added, “Climbing feels like playing, or being on a ride at an amusement park.” Rock climbing has become a popular sport for both young and old people for good reasons because it helps climbers to keep fit and also grow strength.

Image Credit by Allan Mas