A passionate community of Spurs fans in South Korea is staying up late, reacting live and cheering on San Antonio’s playoff run from 14 hours ahead.
SAN ANTONIO — Some of the loudest “Go Spurs Go” chants are happening nearly 7,000 miles away.
In South Korea, a community of about 200 Spurs fans is reacting to every call, every 3-pointer and every Victor Wembanyama moment—all from 14 hours ahead.
When Taesung Kwon isn’t raising cattle in South Korea, he’s cheering for the Spurs.
Kwon is part of a Korean Spurs community chat that began during the pandemic. The group stays connected on a Korean messaging app, where fans keep up with Spurs news from the other side of the world. They’ve also started a Spurs Korea fan page on Instagram.
Tami Kang, who is from South Korea and now lives in San Antonio, helped KENS 5 connect with Kwon and interpret the interview. She said she was surprised when she first learned the group was made up of fans in South Korea, not just Koreans living in San Antonio.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, people know the Spurs?’” Kang said. “‘They know where San Antonio is? Because no one knows where San Antonio is when I go to Korea!’”
In the chat, fans react live to games, debate calls, celebrate big shots and show off their Spurs gear wherever they are.
“It’s so fast,” Kang said. “Everyone’s just like, ‘Ohh! Three!’ It’s crazy. It’s almost faster than how I’m watching it on my TV.”
Some fans love the Spurs so much they have even named their babies after players, including one baby named Gino after Manu Ginobili. Others take photos in sports shops or on trips while wearing Spurs gear.
Kwon owns eight Spurs T-shirts. His newest shirt, a 2026 playoffs one, arrived just one day before his interview with KENS 5. His favorite player is Tony Parker—so much so that “Tony Parker” is also his nickname in the community chat.
“While San Antonians are watching the team, the overseas fans, South Korean fans, are also supporting 14 hours ahead,” Kwon said.
Kwon became a fan in middle school during the 2012-2013 season. He was drawn in by the Spurs’ ball movement, defense and consistency. He said not many fans get to watch their favorite team make the NBA Finals in their first season following them, but that’s what happened for him.
He kept watching as the Spurs continued making the playoffs.
“To me, the Spurs have the best culture of any professional sports team I know,” Kwon said.
Kwon said Korean fans connected with the bond between Spurs teammates, the legends who stayed close to the organization after retirement and players who gave their best regardless of the roster.
“The San Antonio Spurs is a very constant team,” Kwon said.
That culture also hooked Chanyoung Chung, a lifelong sports fan who said the Spurs’ international identity made the franchise stand out.
Chung said he first recognized the Spurs through David Robinson and Sean Elliott in video games such as NBA Jam and NBA Live. But once he learned about Tim Duncan, he became “fully into the Spurs.”
“In the Big Three era, you had Timmy from Virgin Island, Manu from Argentina, Tony Parker from France,” Chung said.
For Chung, the Spurs’ appeal is bigger than banners or box scores. He sees the franchise as a model of family, friendship and resilience.
“Spurs showed not only a good record and some championships, but Spurs are also the best role model of family, friendship,” Chung said.
He said the team’s mix of rookies, veterans and coaches growing together under Coach Gregg Popovich is part of what makes the franchise special.
“All the rookies coming here and veterans mixed. Under Coach Pop, they are growing,” Chung said. “Sometimes they fail, but they overcome.”
Chung said that family-like dynamic resonates with Asian cultures.
“Especially for Asian culture for big families like Korea, China, Japanese. These north Asian family cultures have similarities to the Spurs,” Chung said. “Beyond basketball and beyond record, the Spurs showed us family.”
Now, fans say a new generation is finding that family through Wembanyama. Kwon said Wemby is helping grow NBA fandom in Korea overall.
“Everyone is fascinated by his uniqueness and his aura,” Kwon said.
The group chat’s most popular players right now include Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson, who has been nicknamed “Kelbooongi” by Korean fans, meaning a lovable guy. Chung said he recently saw several Wembanyama jerseys at his daughter’s school event.
Kang said that kind of global fandom is part of what makes the Spurs culture special.
“You see it on TV, people everywhere in Japan, Korea, Brazil, they’re all chanting. They’re all cheering at the same time,” Kang said. “It shows the good culture of the San Antonio Spurs.”
She said wearing Spurs gear in South Korea can also spark instant connections.
“Someone might recognize you and say, ‘Oh, I like that player! Oh, you like the Spurs?’” Kang said.
The Spurs told KENS 5 ticket-buyers this season came from 96 different countries and territories, with top international markets including Mexico, Canada, Australia, France and the United Kingdom.
Kwon said several members of the Korean Spurs community are planning to meet in Seoul on Tuesday evening, Korea time, for one of their regular gatherings.
“It’s basically a day where we eat good food while talking about San Antonio, the Spurs, and life in general,” Kwon said.
For Kwon, that meetup requires a bus ride of about three and a half hours. Usually, about seven to 12 fans attend.
“If there’s one thing I hope for, it’s that … Spurs fans in San Antonio can recognize our passion and send their support to this account and to Korea,” Kwon said.
Chung said he will be in class during the next game, but still plans to follow the play-by-play. Asked whether he would celebrate a Spurs win by honking like fans in San Antonio, he joked that may not be an option where he is temporarily in Singapore.
“Even tourists cannot honk here,” Chung said. “If you do so, maybe Singapore police will chase me.”
Still, the support continues from across the globe.
“We all see the Spurs as one big family and we’re all in this together,” Kang said.
Kwon agreed.
“We’ll be supporting. We’ll be cheering all the way till the end,” he said. “And we’re going to the Finals!”
Chung had one message for Spurs fans in San Antonio and beyond:
“I wish the Spurs go higher,” he said. “And what I want to say is: Go Spurs Go!”