Recently, sport climbing has become popular among Koreans in their 20s and 30s. There are over a million posts on Instagram with the hashtags #Climbing and #Bouldering. Sport climbing needs to set personal goals and strive to achieve them, leading to feelings of exhilaration and satisfaction, which has attracted a growing number of enthusiasts. With the rise of climbing gyms, it has now become an accessible sport for everyone.

   Climbing is a competitive activity that takes place on artificial rock walls, governed by specific rules focusing on the speed and technical difficulty of climbing. It consists of three main categories: ‘Speed,’ where two competitors race to the top, with the first person to finish winning; ‘Lead,’ which is a competition on how high one can climb; and ‘Bouldering,’ which entails climbing over arranged holds resembling a puzzle. Sport climbing was officially introduced at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for the first time and continues to be recognized as an official event at this year’s Paris Olympics.

▲ A visitor is climbing the wall. (Photo from DKH)

   It is no exaggeration to say that the popularity of climbing in Korea started with Kim Ja-in. Born to mountaineer parents, she was named Ja-in, taking the ‘Ja’ from the ‘Jail,’ a climbing rope, and ‘In,’ from Insubong, one of the peaks of Bukhansan Mountain. She began rock climbing in earnest in the sixth grade with the encouragement of her parents and began to make her mark on various international stages outside of Korea during her teenage years. Since then, she has won many medals in various competitions and is the representative figure who introduced climbing to Korea. Afterward, the popularity of climbing began to gradually increase as it was adopted as an official sport at the Tokyo Olympics, and climbing appeared as a theme in the Korean movie ‘Exit.’ Recently, celebrity Seolhyun also became a hot topic when she revealed that she enjoys climbing. The biggest charm of climbing is its ‘newness.’ People who are skeptical about existing sports such as fitness and Pilates are introduced to climbing anew. The exercise itself is also ‘new.’ Climbing cannot be played with strength or technique alone, like in normal sports. Since you have to find an appropriate route and climb it, using your brain is essential. In addition, the holds on the wall are usually replaced every two weeks by the ‘route setter’ who designs the route, so you can experience something ‘new.’ There are also many climbing crews. Several climbing crews are working in each region, and seem to enjoy climbing after school or work. On the interest-based gathering platform ‘Munto,’ one of the most-mentioned keywords last year was ‘climbing.’ As demand increases, the number of domestic climbing gyms is also increasing, and accessibility is improving. A Korean movie theater chain called CGV opened a gym called ‘PEAKERS’ with an indoor artificial rock wall. This is a remodeled space that used to be a theater and has the advantage of allowing more dynamic climbing because the floor height is higher than in other places.

▲ CGV renovated the theater and opened the climbing gym 'PEAKERS.' (Photo from the CJ NEWSROOM)

   The Dankook Herald (DKH) joined a one-day climbing class near the campus to experience the charm of climbing firsthand. We started in a practice room with a knowledgeable instructor who explained everything in detail. He focused on safety and efficient techniques, emphasizing how to conserve energy – crucial for preventing fatigue. The instructor taught us the postures step by step, but it was a little tricky to apply them synthetically. It took a lot of effort to climb using lower body strength rather than relying solely on our arms, and especially for bouldering, we had to think about route-finding and how to hold and move. Once we got out of the practice room, we encountered real difficulties. It was a whole new level of difficulty! We started with the easiest wall and eventually tried out a little more difficult wall, which was challenging and fun at the same time. Our arm strength gradually ran out, but the goal point fueled our desire for success. The route-finding process was enjoyable, and we felt accomplished when we reached the goal point. Overall, we felt sport climbing can be a fantastic option for people who enjoy adventurous activities but still prioritize safety.

▲ An instructor is teaching a beginner climber. (Photo from DKH)

   As such, climbing is a refreshing activity that can train both the body and mind. It’s not just about climbing a wall; it involves problem-solving, flexibility, and technique, making it a multifaceted sport. The best part is the ability to test and overcome one’s limits, feeling exhilaration. The DKH recommends joining the climbing club (DKUAC) at Jukjeon Campus if you are interested. If you are unsure what entertaining activity to engage in, this is also a delightfully different approach to working out.