Scenes from Seoul & Korean Basketball Overview

Over the last decade, Japan has quietly emerged as one of the most exciting professional basketball markets in the world. With the launch of the B.League in 2016, the league has grown in professionalism, structure and talent, including a surge in relevance across Asia and beyond.

Just wrapped up a quick but impactful four-day trip to South Korea — country #46 on the list!

This episode is a bite-sized breakdown of both culture and hoops.

📍 South Korea Basics:

• Population: ~52M (10M+ in Seoul)

• Language: Korean (younger crowd often speaks English)

• Currency: South Korean Won (₩) — great value for meals and transport!

• Known for: K-pop, tech, top notch Asian fusion food & an extremely efficient subway systems

  
  

🏀 KBL Snapshot (Korean Basketball League):

• 10 teams, 54-game season, 6-team playoffs

• Two imports allowed per team (one on court at a time), plus a special Asia quota

• Domestic salary cap ≈ $2M

• Import salary budget = $800k (top import can get $600K)

• Aggressive, physical style of play — imports stand out, but it’s still a team-first league

• Rising appeal thanks to lucrative salaries, low cost of living, friendly culture & EASL participation

  
  

🎙 Bonus Thoughts:

• National team still developing, but there are young names to watch (Lee Hyun-Joong, Yeo Junseok)

• Plenty more to explore — and something tells me I’ll be back sooner than later