'5·18 Mockery Row' Sparks PaiChai High School to Abruptly Pull 'Fire Baseball 2' Ahead of Broadcast

A Field That Disregarded the Weight of History, and a Steadfast 'Red Card' for Entertainment

This is a decision that goes beyond simple sports entertainment. Popular baseball variety program 'Fire Baseball 2' has taken a firm measure after recognizing the seriousness of the 'Local Put-Down Controversy' that erupted across the playing field. It has made an extreme move by completely scrapping the broadcast featuring PaiChai High School’s baseball team.

The production company 'Studio Siwon (C1)' formalized the cancellation of the broadcast segment—scheduled to air on the 6th after being set to reveal—through its official YouTube channel on the 1st, saying, "We deeply recognize the seriousness of the matter involving PaiChai High School that has recently come to light." The move is seen as weighty action that prioritizes 'historical sensitivity' and 'social responsibility' over a shallow yardstick of viewer ratings and buzz.

Accordingly, the program airing on the 6th will take a brief pause, and to ease viewers’ disappointment, the network is expected to keep the energy on the field going by substituting programming with the 'Seongnam High School' episode on the 13th at 8 p.m.

Initially, the 'Fire Fighters' squad fought an uncompromising battle against PaiChai High School at the Seoul Gocheok SkyDome on the 7th of last month. That hot, memorable matchup was broadcast live on SBS Plus, winning a strong response from baseball fans.

Beneath the Line of Decency, 'Language of Hatred' Leaves the Sacredness of Democratization Dented

Originally, the production team planned to edit the game’s thrilling highlights and the untold behind-the-scenes footage in depth and showcase them on its YouTube channel. But when 'inappropriate remarks and conduct' uttered by PaiChai High School’s baseball team surfaced, the video ultimately moved to the final step of being permanently discarded.

The spark behind the backlash dates back to the 81st 청룡기 전국고교야구선수권대회 (Cheongryonggi National High School Baseball Championship) and the Weekend League’s kings tournament, held at the Seoul Mokdong Baseball Stadium on the 29th of last month. Some players from PaiChai High School—who were set to face off against 'Gwangju Jeil High School (Gwangju Ilgo)'—were found to have launched shocking heckles toward the opposing side, including 'Sturbucks, go!' and 'Tank Day'.

Those grim chants carry a painful implication, openly belittling and mocking 'the May 18 Democratization Movement', the very backbone of South Korea’s democracy. In particular, 'Tank Day' is a malicious line that appears to evoke a promotional event run by a certain company on the day of the May 18 memorial ceremony in the past that drew fierce condemnation. It has sparked widespread outrage across the nation, beyond baseball fans. It is a heartbreaking snapshot of the student baseball field—where sportsmanship should live and breathe—being dulled by stains of 'history distortion' and 'hatred'.