SEOUL, South Korea — In South Korea, baseball is more than just an excuse to watch a game with family and friends. The experience is part mass party and part group performance with thousands of fans banging their plastic thundersticks, shaking their pom-poms, and rhythmically waving cards with messages to their favorite players.

The rugged-looking baseball players are the celebrities, and games are attended by hundreds of women — mostly in their early 20s. One carries a sign asking for a "hit, steal, and marriage."

At the end of each inning, another group of celebrities jumps on stage. Usually consisting of a male chief cheerleader and four female cheerleaders, the young, energetic squad is a big part of the fun for many fans. As the female cheerleaders toss back their long, straight hair, smiling as they dance to pop songs, men gather near the elevated stage, some sneaking glances, others snapping pictures on their cameras. As drums pound and music blares, tens of thousands of fans sing, chant, and dance.

Fans cheer as a group, with orchestrated hand moves and chants for specific situations and players. Each team’s fans have their own style of mass cheering. Fans of the Busan-based Lotte Giants, for instance, inflate orange plastic bags and strap them to the tops of their heads, creating a bobbing sea of orange as they jump up and down singing their team’s songs.

The team spirit lingers even after the game ends; strangers join together to sing along to their team’s songs as they drink and party in makeshift taverns outside the stadiums.