Gocheok Sky Dome upgraded for historic MLB fixtures

Gocheok Sky Dome has received a number of upgrades as it prepares for its landmark hosting of Major League Baseball (MLB) games.

Located in western Seoul, South Korea’s only domed ballpark will host the country’s first MLB regular-season fixtures as the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres compete in two games on March 20-21.

The season-opener in Seoul will mark the ninth time MLB has started its season outside the US and Canada. The most recent overseas season-opener came in 2019, when Tokyo hosted the Oakland Athletics vs Seattle Mariners.

The Sky Dome will also stage exhibition games on Sunday and Monday featuring the Dodgers and Padres, along with the LG Twins and Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), plus the South Korean national team.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government, which owns the Sky Dome, is expecting around 100,000 baseball fans from South Korea and around the world to visit the capital for the fixtures. Now in its ninth year of operation, the stadium has received renovation work ahead of the events.

This includes the installation of a new artificial turf playing surface, while the stadium lighting system has been upgraded. LED lights have replaced dimmer metal halide lamps, while 56 coloured LED lamps have been included to allow for light shows.

In addition, facilities for players, such as the visiting team’s locker room and cafeteria, have been improved. The fan experience has also been enhanced through upgrades to skybox facilities and the introduction of a new pedestrian plaza and green plaza outside of the stadium.

Seoul Mayor, Oh Se-hoon, toured the stadium yesterday (Tuesday) and said: “Exchange between MLB and the Korean baseball world has begun in earnest. I hope that the games will be played well and that the MLB Seoul Series will be held every year in the future.

“With the complete remodelling, from the grass to lighting and locker rooms, I expect all players to be in top condition and perform well. As this is an event that attracts many visitors at once, we will do our best to manage crowds when entering and leaving to create a perfect game with no safety issues.”