Today (August 8), the Taiwan team played against the South Korean team in the Group C preliminary round of the World Baseball Classic ( WBC ). After a fierce battle of 10 innings, Taiwan won 5-4. This victory not only moved the fans watching the game , but also made many of the Taiwan team players cry tears of joy. Most importantly, this is also the first victory against the South Korean team in the history of the Classic. The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is almost a global phenomenon, but Taiwan’s strong resilience and unity have unexpectedly attracted attention from all over the world. Not only are there many people cheering at the Tokyo Stadium, but the “live broadcast parties” or “cheering parties” initiated by Taiwanese fans in various places are also amazing! Among them, at the ” Duan Chunzhen Beef Noodles ” restaurant in Northern California , USA, a scene of shouting for the honor of their hometown across geographical distance was very touching and made people deeply feel the Taiwanese spirit of “where the ball is, the heart is” .
The world is currently gripped by the World Baseball Classic (WBC) frenzy, with today’s Group C preliminary round featuring a fierce ” Taiwan vs. South Korea” battle . The match was incredibly close. Despite a star-studded South Korean lineup, including six Major League Baseball players such as renowned pitchers Ryu Hyun-jin, Lee Jung-hoo, and Kim Hye-sung, the Taiwanese team showed no fear or hesitation. Ku Lin-jui-yang , known as “Taiwan’s Golden Grandson,” delivered a stellar performance as starting pitcher, even managing to scrape his finger and bleed in the fourth inning, yet he persevered. Furthermore, the Taiwanese heroes unleashed three home runs, including those from “Defense Minister” Chang Yu-cheng , American-based power hitter Cheng Tsung-che , and Stuart Fairchild , now nicknamed “Fairchild the God” by fans. These consecutive explosions caused the South Korean defense, led by Ryu Hyun-jin, to crumble and even freeze several times.
Since the Classic began at the Tokyo Dome, the support and unity of Taiwanese fans have garnered attention from Japan and other countries. They were not only surprised by the cheers from Taiwan, but also joked, “It feels like Taiwan’s home ground!” (Photo courtesy of Jiang Jiaqian Q-chan)
Whether it’s the massive support from fans who personally fly to the Tokyo Dome to declare their home advantage with deafening shouts, or the spontaneous live-stream parties organized around the world, the unity of Taiwanese people transcends geographical and national borders, and this is what is known as the “Taiwanese spirit”! (Photo courtesy of Chia-Chien Chiang Q-chan)
The “Taiwan vs. South Korea” match was a back-and-forth affair, tied 4-4 after 9 innings, leading to a tiebreaker in the 10th inning. In the first inning, Taiwan’s captain, Chen Chieh-hsien , despite a fractured left index finger, accepted the coach’s instructions to play as a pinch runner on second base. Chiang Shao-hung first hit a short bat, successfully advancing the runner to third base. Chiang Kun-yu then executed another short bat, and Chen Chieh-hsien seized the opportunity to sprint home, even sliding despite his injury, ultimately scoring a run for Taiwan and giving them a 5-4 lead. In the bottom of the inning, “Fireball Man” Tseng Chun -yueh came on and dominated the South Korean offense with his high-speed balls, forcing several South Korean batters to miss their targets.
At the Tokyo Dome , the Taiwanese team’s perseverance and coordinated defense, coupled with the deafening chants of ” Team Taiwan ,” nearly lifted the roof off the stadium! Although there was a runner on second base, Tseng Chun-yueh steadily unleashed a high-speed 158 km/h fly ball, forcing South Korean batter Kim Tae-young to hit a deep fly ball to right field. This ball didn’t become a game-winning one; instead, it went straight into the Taiwanese team’s glove and was caught out, igniting a frenzy throughout the stadium. Ultimately, the Taiwanese team defeated South Korea 5-4, securing a hard-won, epic victory.
Taiwan’s cheering style and the powerful atmosphere at the scene have attracted significant international attention. Many Japanese netizens even shared their experiences at the event, commenting, “The cheers from the Taiwanese were terrifying,” “The way the Taiwanese cheered turned the Tokyo Dome into a Taiwanese home stadium,” and “I really felt the Taiwanese baseball spirit!” (Photo courtesy of Jiang Jiaqian Q-chan)
Since the 2026 WBC World Baseball Classic kicked off at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, the “Taiwanese-style cheering” and the unity of Taiwan have attracted international attention. Even Japanese media reports have said, “Taiwanese fans are really terrifying,” “The volume of Taiwanese cheering is really exaggerated,” and “This is practically Taiwan’s home ground!” In addition to the number of Taiwanese people who personally went to the Tokyo Dome to watch and cheer for the team, many fans in Tokyo and other parts of Taiwan also organized “live streaming parties” or “cheering parties.” Everyone gathered together to cheer and shout for the Taiwanese team, which was very passionate!
This passion and unity among Taiwanese people truly knows no time or place, as even the Taiwanese community in California was not absent. Even though it was late at night or early morning local time, nearly a hundred fans wearing jerseys with “Taiwan” printed on them gathered at the “Duan Chun-Chen Beef Noodles” restaurant in Northern California, holding national flags or cheering sticks and staring intently at the live broadcast screen. This “Duan Chun-Chen Beef Noodles” restaurant not only sells Taiwanese-style dishes, but the owner, Rommie Tsai, is also a big baseball fan and has been quietly supporting Taiwan’s youth baseball team for a long time. In addition to financial sponsorship, he always treats the players to a free meal whenever the Taiwanese baseball team visits California.
The third annual San Francisco Taiwan Day featured NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, a tech icon and Taiwan ambassador, as the opening pitcher. Henry Tsai, son of Rommie Tsai, owner of the popular “Duan Chun Zhen Beef Noodles” restaurant in the Bay Area, served as Huang’s temporary pitching coach, instructing him on how to throw a good pitch. (Photo courtesy of Rommie Tsai)
In the fiercely competitive arena of U.S. youth baseball, Taiwanese-American Henry Tsai has showcased top-tier pitching and hitting skills in the nation’s most prestigious Perfect Game system, making him a top prospect for future Major League Baseball candidates in the eyes of scouts. Moreover, professional scouts and coaches unanimously describe this young man as “extremely rare,” even using near-legendary terms like “one in a million” to define his baseball talent, considered “generational.” (Photo courtesy of Rommie Tsai)
In addition, Rommie Tsai’s 14-year-old son, Henry Tsai, is also a passionate baseball player. He started playing at the age of 5 and is quite well-known locally. He was the first pitcher at Taiwan Day in San Francisco in 2024 and also coached NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, who was a prominent figure at the time. Even more impressive is that Henry Tsai is considered an “extremely rare” talent in American youth baseball, with professional scouts and coaches describing him as “one in a million” or “generational talent.”
For this World Baseball Classic (WBC), the North American Taiwan Baseball League and the Northern California Duan Chun-Chen Beef Noodle Restaurant jointly called on Bay Area fans to gather at the restaurant to watch and cheer for the team. Some wore jerseys printed with “Taiwan,” while others brought towels printed with “Taiwan Spirit.” The scene was filled with various Taiwanese-style cheering gear as everyone cheered for the Taiwanese team playing at the Tokyo Stadium in Japan. Chen Wen-Tse (A-Wen-Ge), the founder of the North American Taiwan Baseball League, who has long supported the development of baseball in Taiwan, shared with reporters that only about 30 fans attended the first game against Australia, while the number increased to about 40 for the game against the Czech Republic. “But today, for this crucial game against South Korea, the number of people surged, with nearly a hundred fans gathering together. The entire restaurant instantly became a ‘mini cheering stadium’ in Northern California.”
During this globally captivating “Taiwan vs. South Korea” match, nearly a hundred passionate fans wearing “Taiwan” jerseys gathered at the “Duan Chun-Chen Beef Noodles” restaurant in Northern California, USA. They held their breath, watching the live broadcast, some waving national flags, others holding “Taiwan NO.1” signs, united in cheering for their Taiwanese heroes in Tokyo. (Photo courtesy of Duan Chun-Chen Beef Noodles Restaurant, Northern California)
Not only were fans wearing jerseys emblazoned with “Taiwan” and holding signs that read “Taiwan NO.1,” but some even wore blue and white flip-flops and towels draped with “Taiwanese spirit,” instantly transforming a restaurant in Northern California into a vibrant support stand! This wasn’t just a victory in a game; it was also a testament to the pure and borderless sense of homeland pride behind this “Taiwanese-style gear,” and this unity allowed the world to witness the resilience and pride of the Taiwanese people. (Photo courtesy of Northern California Duan Chun-Chen Beef Noodle Restaurant)
Chen Wenze (Brother Wen) said that the fans watched today’s “Taiwan vs. South Korea” game very attentively. The atmosphere in the stadium rose and fell with every pitch, hit, and home run. Almost no one left their seats throughout the game. “The game went into extra innings, and everyone was very nervous. But when the Taiwan team finally won, the whole stadium erupted in huge cheers, the sound almost lifted the roof off!” From the videos and photos provided by the interviewee, you can see that everyone was very enthusiastic, especially the scene where they jumped up and shouted, cheered, and high-fived each other to cheer for the Taiwan team. You could feel the strong “unity” and “Taiwanese spirit” even through the screen.
Many Taiwanese fans living overseas said that although they are busy working in different cities, they naturally gather together whenever the Taiwan team plays. “This atmosphere of watching the game together and cheering for our hometown players is very precious. These gatherings don’t have complicated formats; they simply bring everyone together to cheer for the Taiwan team. It is this most direct and pure passion and unity that allows Taiwanese baseball to continue to be seen around the world!” Henry Chen, an engineer in the San Francisco Bay Area, is a fan and an amateur baseball player. He said, “Duan Chun-Cheng Beef Noodles is a familiar and popular gathering place for many Taiwanese people in the Bay Area. So when the North American Taiwanese Baseball League and Duan Chun-Cheng Beef Noodles launched the WBC group event, everyone naturally thought of coming here to watch the game together and cheer for the Taiwan team. This is truly the best and most familiar support spot for fans in Northern California.”
The stadium wasn’t just filled with adult fans! Many parents brought their children to the game, and the kids cheered and encouraged the Taiwan team every single point. A Taiwanese expatriate expressed that in this atmosphere, one could truly feel the passion and unity of Taiwanese baseball. (Photo courtesy of Northern California Duan Chunzhen Beef Noodle Restaurant)
Afterwards, a video of the group of Taiwanese fans jumping up, screaming, and high-fiving in the Duan Chun-zhen Beef Noodles shop was shared on Threads, quickly resonating with and moving netizens. Many netizens left comments such as, “Even though we’re separated by the Pacific Ocean, this unity still warmed my heart to tears,” “This is the magic of Taiwanese baseball; no matter where you are, your hearts are connected,” “This is the Taiwanese spirit! Wherever the ball is, that’s where your heart is,” and “Is it normal to cheer along while watching the video?” Those scenes of celebration that transcended time zones were not only about the pursuit of victory but also a collective resonance of feelings for their hometown.
Finally, Chen Wenze (Brother Wen) emotionally expressed that this was not only a game where they won against South Korea, but also a source of pride for Taiwanese people. For everyone in the “Duan Chunzhen Beef Noodles” shop, it was a passionate moment unique to Taiwanese baseball.
Since it’s to support the Taiwan team, it definitely needs to be “very Taiwanese,” so this Duan Chun-Chen Beef Noodle restaurant in Northern California has prepared limited-edition support items, including Taiwan Beer and fried chicken. Reminder: “Drinking alcohol is prohibited for those under 18 years of age. Excessive drinking is harmful to your health.” (Photo courtesy of Duan Chun-Chen Beef Noodle Restaurant, Northern California)
When Tseng Chun-yueh threw the walk-off catch, and the Taiwanese team defeated South Korea 5-4 to secure their first-ever victory, the entire stadium, regardless of ethnicity, jumped and screamed in celebration. Not only that, many American friends also took out their phones to excitedly take photos with the Taiwanese fans waving their national flags, witnessing this epic victory together. This scene not only showcased the Taiwanese spirit of “where the ball is, the heart is,” but also made baseball the most beautiful international language. This victory belongs to the heroes on the field, and also to every supporter around the world whose heart beat in unison! (Photo courtesy of Northern California Duan Chun-zhen Beef Noodle Restaurant)
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