For the first time in two years, baseball and football fans in South Korea will be able to celebrate at stadiums starting Friday (April 22), as the government lifts nearly all coronavirus prohibitions. Baseball is South Korea's most popular spectator sport, and games provide a time for spectators to let free while fueled by copious amounts of wine and fried chicken.

        Spectators were required to watch the games in relative silence and wear a face mask if they were allowed to attend at all after the epidemic, while chicken and beer were only available for consumption away from the field. Later, the Korea Baseball Organization began permitting eating in most stadiums, and on Friday, the prohibition on applauding, screaming, and yelling was lifted.

        Masks will still be necessary for spectators. "Beginning today, cheering will be permitted at all KBO League stadiums," the league announced in a statement, adding that "chanting while eating will be forbidden."  Hours later, the K League professional football league informed AFP that limitations will be lifted beginning this weekend - "But cheering is not actively encouraged."

        Seoul said this week that, with the exception of the mask rule, it will suspend practically all social separation restrictions, claiming a substantial drop in COVID-19 cases following an Omicron-fueled increase. Over 86 percent of South Korea's 51 million people have been properly immunized, with the majority receiving a booster dose as well.

        Around 21,000 individuals have died in South Korea as a result of the coronavirus, which has a mortality rate of 0.13 percent, one of the lowest in the world.