Loud cheering during Asian Cup leaves neighbors grumpy

Son Heung-min, left, celebrates with Hwang Hee-chan after scoring during a quarterfinal match between Korea and Australia at the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar on Feb. 2. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

Loud cheering in the late hours of the night for Team Korea in the Asian Cup is putting some neighbors at odds.

“Since the pandemic, more people have been cheering individually from home, so we’ve had more reports on noise complaints on nights the games are on,” said a police officer.

He was called to intervene when neighbors fought over noise last Saturday in Michuhol District, Incheon, as Korea played against Australia in the Asian Cup.

The complaint occurred just after Hwang Hee-chan scored an equalizer around 2:25 a.m. that night.

Another police officer was called in at the same hour to step in between two neighbors in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul.

Due to the time differences, the games in Qatar are often cast live on TV well after midnight in Korea.

The neighbors who filed the complaints said they couldn’t stand the constant shouting — even when nothing exciting was happening.

“I understand people just can’t contain their excitement when someone scores a goal,” said 27-year-old Goh, who lives in a studio in Michuhol District of Incheon.

“But these people were shouting throughout the game, goal or not,” he said.

Kim, a 29-year-old office worker, was in a similar situation. He lives in Daerim-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul.

“I didn’t catch a wink of sleep the night that Korea faced Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup,” Kim said. “My neighbors upstairs and downstairs were cheering on and on through the night.”

As Korea faces Jordan in the Asian Cup at midnight Wednesday, the authorities are asking fans to exercise a “decent level of noise control.

“There isn’t much that police officers can do on-site unless there's a brawl or physical scuffle,” said a police officer. “We ask everyone to please mind their manners as they watch the game at home late at night.”

BY BY LEE CHAN-KYU,ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]