Billiard halls on rise again in Seoul

SEOUL, June 13 (Yonhap) -- The number of billiard halls in the nation's capital is on the rise again, after the game spent years on the back burner amid the popularity of other forms of entertainment, the city government said Monday.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of pool halls in the city rose from 4,225 to 5,155 in 2009, the most recent year for which figures are available. In 2000, there were 5,172 such places in Seoul, but the number nosedived to below 4,000 by 2006.
The dwindling popularity of cue sports had been attributed to the emergence in the late 1990s of computer games, such as StarCraft, and the sprouting of PC rooms, a type of arcade equipped with high-tech computers.
Billiard players and experts say those in their late 20s and early 30s, the very people who deserted pool halls for computer arcades, have been coming back to the tables. Players say they would rather mingle with others around green tables than spend hours staring at computer monitors alone.
"StarCraft isn't quite as popular today as then," said Hong Seong-wook, a 33-year-old office worker. "And nothing beats billiards when you want to hang out with friends or colleagues and just have a good time."
Retired men in their 50s and 60s also make up a sizable population among pool players, experts said. For most of these players, playing pool was one of the few forms of entertainment available during their youthful years.
"Sometimes in the morning or in the early afternoon, it's mostly the retirees like myself in halls," said a 61-year-old man, surnamed Kim. "It doesn't cost too much, and I get to spend my days having fun."
The Korea Billiards Federation believes the 2010 figures, once they become available, will show a slight decrease in the number of billiard halls from 2009.
"I think this year will be a transitional one," said Lee Jang-hee, an executive director of the federation. "We will try to make billiard halls into places that aren't just for men, but are for everyone."
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