Multicultural youth baseball team 'Ulsan Swings' inspires new book

A heartwarming story unfolds in Ulsan, South Korea, with the publication of a new book detailing the journey of the Ulsan Swings, the city's only multicultural youth baseball team. Titled 'There's Something About the Swings,' the book by author Seo Jin-young captures the essence of the team, which was established in 2014 and currently comprises 20 children from multicultural families representing six different countries.

The book's subtitle, 'Things More Precious Than Winning or Losing,' aptly reflects its focus. Unlike teams that prioritize producing professional players or achieving stellar results, the Ulsan Swings welcomes children who may not even like baseball or understand its rules. The narrative delves into how the team has sustained its activities for 12 years by concentrating on the joy the children find in gathering every Sunday.

Through the author's perspective, readers gain insight into how the experiences within the Ulsan Swings shape the children's hearts. The book also highlights the dedicated adults who serve as the children's true support system, including Oh Ju-won, a police inspector at the Ulsan Jungbu Police Station, Lee Sang-min, a deputy director at the Ulsan Nam-gu Integrated Social Welfare Center, and Cho Jae-young, the head of the parents' association.

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The children of the Swings were learning truly precious things in the right order.

Comedian and actor Moon Sang-hoon praised the book, noting his happiness in reading about the Swings' environment where children focus on the process rather than the outcome and experience over victory or defeat. He remarked, "In a cruel world where the process can be invalidated if results aren't achieved, the children of the Swings were learning truly precious things in the right order."

To further support the Ulsan Swings, a portion of the book's sales will be donated to the team. In celebration of the book's release, Kim Jeong-ok, CEO of the publishing company Eotteonchaek, along with Inspector Oh and Deputy Director Lee, are organizing a small book concert for the children. They plan to present the books to the children at this event, with Deputy Director Lee expressing his excitement, anticipating the book will hold significant meaning for them.

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It seems like it will be a book that holds great meaning for the children for a long time. I'm already excited thinking about the children who will be happy seeing the book.