,,. LG,, LG.,.,. Abstract I, as a researcher, wanted to summarize the role of graphic design in the flow of history of Korean professional sport, espe

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1 : LG, A Case Study on The Branding of Professional Baseball throughout Socio-Cultural Contexts of Modern Korea: focusing on the LG Twins team Lee Chae Seoul Women s University, Korea This work was supported by a Research Grant of Seoul Women s University University. (2016) 26,,, : : : Keywords Korean Professional Baseball, Communication Design, Branding, Typography Received: 21 November 2016 Reviewed: November 2016 Accepted: 29 November 2016

2 ,,. LG,, LG.,.,. Abstract I, as a researcher, wanted to summarize the role of graphic design in the flow of history of Korean professional sport, especially professional baseball, which was established in the political situation of the modern Korean history. In this process, I could see the situation when the graphic design greeted the golden age, along with the extension of the concept of branding design. Especially I interpreted the branding attempts of professional sports in the socio-cultural context, focusing on LG Twins; one of the metropolitan clubs in the first year of Korean Professional Baseball league. Based on this understanding, I examined the concept of branding in the Korean professional baseball market that has been changed with the times, and I also analyzed the visual characteristics of the LG Twins team in terms of semiotic, throughout the case studies. In addition, I attempted to do research on the similarity and symbolism of the elements that constitute the brand by comparing Korean Professional Baseball teams with Major League Baseball teams referred to at that time. This would be a preliminary research for further study to be carried out the branding methods about professional sports, in terms of the audience experiences. 27 Paper. Lee Chae

3 ,, BI(Brand Identity) BI,,, BI ( ) BI ( ) BI. BI BI LG BI LG LG Introduction 1.1. Research Background and Objectives Korean professional baseball is one of the representative sports which has been growing in past 34 years together with Korean society, economy and culture. It has had a great impact on establishing the modern BI design style and culture in the BI design consumption. A professional baseball club brand identity is communicated to consumers (audiences) through BI, which is composed of the brand name, logo, symbol, color, and more. The communicated BI is continuously managed to maintain the relationship with the consumers (audiences). As such process is successfully proceeded, the brand is eventually developed into a brand with vitality. This research plans to study the brand design contribution in sports and design fields, which is relatively less looked into, in the sports development aspect through the development process of professional baseball. Also, I plan to analyze the professional baseball BI design changes in the socio-cultural context. Considering various analysis and responses of socio-cultural context embedded in the professional baseball BI or BI applications is not possible in a single research. In this research, I will relate the BI design changes of LG Twins, one of the popular clubs which have been in the business since the founding of professional baseball, to the changes in Korean society as one of the foundation research methods to describe the contemporary Korean brand design Research Scope and Method Most of the Korean professional baseball clubs are planned and allocated by the government and operated by corporations. Such inherent features are reflected in their identity design philosophies. The motifs of elements composing the brand identity are developed from the features and characteristics of the foundation, also influencing the design methods. It is helpful to understand in detail the relationship between brand design and the society in Korea. LG Twins is a club which was founded during the beginning of professional sports. It has relatively large number of fans and high brand loyalty among the Seoul-based clubs. Focusing on LG Twins, I will study materials and references on how the brand identity was accumulated in the past 34 years over the historical flow, and what changes there had been.

4 ,,, 3S (Sports), (Screen), (Sex),. CI 88, CI ( ) 1990 LG, 1995, 1996 BI,. 1, 1994 MLB.. 2. Research on the Design Background of LG Twins 2.1. The Role of Branding in the Korean Professional Baseball Market in the Chronological Changes The world capitalism economy faced a crisis as the cumulated contradiction depended out to the recession triggered by the oil shock in the 1970s. One of the solutions to overcome this crisis was by investing large capitals in the sports in the 1980s, which had been attracting attention of mass media as commercialization began in the 1950s. Sports became an industry and a market that recorded a rapid growth. Along with this global trend, the Fifth Republic, which took the power through the military coup in the early 1980s, promoted liberalized overseas traveling, established sports newspaper, and promoted international sports events such as Asian Games and the Olympics. This was to hide the lack of legitimacy and morality. 3S industries Sports, Screen, Sex were politically cultivated to industrialize the public culture. Identity design, a former concept of the branding design, was developed while leading such public culture. Kim Hyun, CI company Design Park representative, designed Hodori as the official mascot of the 88 Seoul Olympics. Taking this opportunity of successful mascot in an international sports event, Kim began to lead the CI design of Korean sports clubs. Staring with the symbol and mascot design of Binggrae Eagles (now Hanhwa Eagles) in 1985, he designed the symbols and mascots for LG Twins in 1990, Samsung Lions in 1995, Hyundai Unicorns in It is reasonable to understand that Korean professional baseball club BI design culture was led by Kim and Design Park. 1 By this period, the size and quality of the overall consumer life in Korean society had become so high that it was incomparable with the previous period. Particularly as Park 29 1, «40»., «25». 1 Kim Hyun, «Forty Years of Kim Hyun»., «Twenty Five Years of Design Park». Paper. Lee Chae

5 ,,, LG 1982, MBC 3S. TV TV. 2, MBC, 1990 LG. LG LG LG ( ) LG (, Goldstar). LG,. LG Lucky Goldstar LG LG, 1980 LG, LG LG WTO,, CI LG Chanho joined MLB in 1994, Korean professional baseball consumers, the fans, began to associate with multiple and plentiful sports contents and high visual communication cultures. As a result, Korean professional clubs and professional sports related businesses started to adopt professional/diverse sports marketing activities to meet the consumer s demand and level. Subsidiary fields were expanded to design opportunities. Such phenomenon brought a change in the role and awareness of design in the professional sports marketing and corporate branding. Professional baseball, an influential promotion and marketing means of a corporation, has been reflecting the main development values of Korean society: industrialization, democratization, informatization/globalization A study on LG Twins Design Background Based in Seoul in 1982, MBC Chungyong was established under the parent company of Munhwa Broadcasting. This was in line with the launch of professional baseball as a part of the government s 3S industries. It is no exaggeration to say that the time and culture were dominated by TV and TV contents in the center of every middle class families living room. 2 In this period, together with the government s interest, professional baseball clubs operated by broadcasting companies were founded, opening the era of professional baseball. MBC Chungyong, however, suffered from lack of publicity due to poor results. As they faced limitations of club operation, Lucky Goldstar took over the club in 1990 and was re-established as the current LG Twins. LG Group, the parent company of LG Twins, had been leading Korean chemical and electronic industries via establishing Rakhee Chemicals in 1947 and Goldstar in LG Chemicals (former Rakhee Chemicals) and LG Electronics 30 2,, Kang Hyunjoo, Change of Generation and Corporate Design, 123.

6 ,, LG LG LG,,,, 3. LG LG. LG 10,. LG 1982 LG LG CI. 3. LG BI, (former Goldstar) were the main companies. Before they changed name to LG, they were called Lucky Group and Lucky Goldstar Group, using names from their two main companies. LG was derived from Lucky Goldstar. The name LG was first officially used in 1984 when the group affiliate advertising agency LG Ad was founded. The use of LG gradually expanded, including LG Card and LG Twins, from the late 1980s. As WTO was launched in 1995, the global economy grew into an era of liberalization, globalization and informatization. In order to proactively cope with these changes, Goldstar, an export-oriented manufacturing corporation, systematized the brand management by improving and managing the brand image including the CI renewal. This was an effort to globally raise the corporate competitive power by achieving recognition from corporates and consumers. Lucky Goldstar Group changes their name to LG Group. Names of all affiliate companies were unified with the use of LG. The new symbol mark of LG Electronics, officially used since 1997, is a mark of LG Group. This mark, introduced as the Face of Future, symbolizes for five concepts and philosophies of global, future, youth, human, technology. Landor Associates 3 developed the main design, and Kim from Design Park developed the applications. LG Group continued to develop the corporate image with no exception in LG Twins. Professional club operated by a corporate aim not only on selling sports, but also strongly aims to establish a certain corporate image to the consumers via the sport brand. Brand of sports club is a strategic tool to position the corporate image by providing values to the consumers through differentiation to other products. It is an effective marketing tool that can raise the brand value. As LG Twins has its base in Seoul, it encourages Seoul citizens to build positive image of sponsoring corporate. It importantly functions to promote the awareness and self GE,,,,, JAL, CI. CI. 3 Landor designed CI of multiple global corporates including GE, Coca-Cola, Netscape, HP, Dupont, JAL, and Cathay Pacific. Landor has now expanded their business from a CI design company to a brand consulting company. Paper. Lee Chae

7 ,,. 4,. 5 ( ), BI. BI,,,,,. 6, BI,,,,,,,,. esteem to the Seoul citizens in the community they live in, Seoul. (Not only LG Twins but all ten Korean professional baseball clubs have regional base, and are operated by corporates.) LG Twins has built its own brand value by maintaining the legitimacy of Korean professional baseball club as well as using LG Group corporate characteristics to build the characteristics of the club since It is a professional baseball club with a symbolic image through its own history and tradition. In 2015, the CI of the parent company LG Group was newly changed and the emblem was slightly updated as well. In the big frame, it represents the history of the club with no much change. 3. LG Twins Club Communication Design Features Above mentioned BI concepts can be summarized as following; the ultimate objective of corporate/ brand is the meticulously planned identity to create a relationship between the brand and consumer. 4 A brand value proposal and reliability extracted from the objective contribute to the formation of relationship between the brand and the consumer. Professional sports to people today, including the professional baseball, function as relaxation of psychological tension as well as fulfilling the social desires of human being. 5 Participating and watching professional sports create the opportunity to feel companionship with others and generate regional solidarity. This meets the instinct affiliation of the public and function as social binding. To maximize these social functions, a symbol or image is required which can implicitly communicate meticulously planned identity based on the club s value or vision shared by the members (including both the players and fans). This is the role of professional club BI and the reason why such visual system is needed. Generally, emblem is used instead of logo or logo type 32 4 Aaker, «Building Strong Brands», ,, Keller, «Strategic Brand Management», 3. 4 Aaker, «Building Strong Brands», Kim Jinkook, «The Relationship between Professional Football Club and the Regional Society»,

8 .,. LG LG,. LG LG ( ), 1980,.,. 8 which is more commonly used in corporates and products. An emblem is used on the uniforms and applications to raise the morale and selfrespect of the players and fans. A BI is composed of the brand name, logo, slogan, character, jingle, packaging, and more. 6 In the case of professional baseball, the brand name, logo, character, and typography is the most significant elements of all Brand Name In general, it is agreed that the brand name is the most direct and significant element of expression in the identity. According to the Korean Marketing Research Institute, a brand name is a product or service of a seller or seller group separated from its competitors by name, a word, or a group of letters. In fact, a brand name is composed of various ways including combination of people, animal, numbers and others. A brand name is retained perpetually except for epochal circumstances of merger or acquisition, or reconsideration of the brand value. Regardless of its specificity, professional baseball club brand names have a similar format as corporates. They are composed of two main elements; the parent company name and a club modifier. LG Twins is composed of LG, the parent company, and Twins representing the headquarters twin towers. LG Twins have built their identity by maintaining the corporate characteristics and brand values as the club s characteristics and brand values. It is well known that the government uses sports to promote the nationalism. Europe in the 19C, when the modern sports were emerging, was the period when nation-state and nationalism was proliferated. It is hard to deny that the modern sports have been organized and institutionalized in the framework of nationstate from the beginning. 7 Considering this fact, it is very common for sports teams in a nation to project regional identity. The sense of solidarity 33 7,, ,, Keller, «Strategic Brand Management», 3. 7 Lee Daehee, Politics of Sports and Identity, Paper. Lee Chae

9 BI,.,.,,,, 4.,,,,. LG LG,. is further amplified in the competition between two rival regions. Despite these negative aspects, it functions positive by reflecting the emotions and experiential and empirical perceptions of the locals. It is why they are used to revitalize the local economy and enhance to brand value. Korean professional baseball teams Haiti Tigers (now Kia Tigers) is an example. Due to the Gwangju uprising experience in 1980 and discrimination and depreciation towards to people in Jeollado, the people had to hide their regional identity. Baseball fields played by Haiti Tigers were the only place where the people could express their local identities and sense of solidarity as a group. According to research, the more contribution a professional baseball club has made, a better club image they have. Relatively, the better image a club has, the higher approval rating supported by the locals. 8 Unlike the United States Major League clubs which have names based on regions, Korean professional baseball clubs do not include the regional name in their brand name. Rather, parent company name + proper name is the dominant composition of brand names. Korean professional baseball club brand name is one of the examples that Korean communication design had been developed by the major corporates. Though limitations and problems had been pointed out, it is undeniable fact that the communication design culture had been developed from a unique branding perspective via industrialization led by the government and corporates Emblem There are various visual medias which express the BI. They implicitly represent the club image. Out of all, emblem is the most core and significant element. In the contemporary period where communication design is crucial, professional clubs need to establish a systematic solid symbol or image of the team. The symbol or image needs 34 8 Kim Jinkook, «The Relationship between Professional Football Club and the Regional Society», 59.

10 ,,. LG 10. [1]. LG. (Pantone 207C) (Pantone 430C, 429C, 428C) ( ). LG CI ( ),.. LG, 9. LG., 1, 2. 1 to be consistently exposed and communicated to maintain the loyal fans and secure new fans. Emblem makes the fans to concentrate, remember and be loyal. It has an emotional effect of stimulating cognitive effect and intimacy. It also has various utilities as a means of communication, by applying or highlighting certain image to the club through the emblem. Emblem in the sports marketing has become a product, creating licensing market. It has become a creative and radical application, expanded to a source of income. Professional baseball club emblem design can be analyzed into four basic elements; Motif, Form, Color and Type. Motif uses the origin and concept of main expressed element. This includes the parent company, region related person, animals and plants, artifices, geometric figures, and more. LG Twins uses LG Group logo as the emblem motif. The fan-shaped iconic symbol symbolizes the baseball field. Form has a significant function of first visual stimulation and overall image determination. Circle, square, rhombus, and more are typically used to symbolize the elements of baseball. LG Twins is the only club, out of ten, which uses the fan-shaped baseball field shape. [1] Color causes visual stimulation. Sometimes the color itself becomes the symbol. LG Twins uses the same identity color as the parent company, red. The main colors are Twins Red (Pantone 207C) and Twins Grey (Pantone 430C, 429C, 428C). These colors are used in the sports marketing strategies of making the consumers to recognize their intensive colors. Type has the role of communicating core information at the mast procedure of visual communication information conveyed via the emblem. (in the same context as the poster) LG from the parent company CI uses a sans-serif type to emphasis the modernity, Twins uses a modified hand scripted sans-serif type to emphasize the rhythm and dynamism. The modified sans-serif 35 9 Barthes, «Elements of Semiology», Paper. Lee Chae

11 36 [1] KBO 10 Ten Emblems of KBO Professional Baseball Clubs

12 .. 1.,. 2,, 2, 1 2,. 10. [2] 1, 1 2,,. 11 LG. LG.[2], 1, 1 type not only functions as the written language, but also as an image which can be perceived as a pattern or shape to people. There are the complete emblem combination version and logotype version which can be solely used. The logotype can function as the most abbreviated brand format. The naming and visual elements of LG Twins are similar to Minnesota Twins of MLB. Instead of comparing and analyzing their morphological similarities and differences, I looked into their signification similarities based on the Roland Barthes semiotics. 9 The approach to derive the in-depth meaning of visual identities by comparing the LG Twins and Minnesota Twins seemed more appropriate to analyze the formal intersections and understand socio-cultural meanings. According to Barthes, signification has two levels of order; the first order is the level of reality or nature (denotation), and the second order is the level of culture (connotation). The first order is about the world of symbolic representations of reality. In this level, the significant and signifier combines to form a sign, causing a basic signification. In this level, the sign represents the objective and direct meaning of nature. The first order of signification produces only the denotation of reality, represented by the sign. That is, this only allows the dictionary interpretation of the sign. The second order is driven from the two basic elements of the sign; the signifiant and signifier. Because the sign is composed of two elements, the second order is also composed of two elements; connotation and myth. According to Barthes, the primary sign is composed of signifiant and signifier in the denotation level, and in the in the second sign level, it becomes a new signifiant and new signifier is the myth and ideology. 10 In professional sports, the emblem is a sign which is an integration of the league and club s specific context and signification. As shown 37 10,, ,,. 9 Barthes, «Elements of Semiology», Kim Cjisoo et al., «The Development of Modern Semiotics», Paper. Lee Chae

13 1 2 ( ) ( ) ( )..,...,,.,.,. Emblem Minnesota Twins Primary Signification expression element (significant) The good twin athlete that symbolize the origin of Minnesota Twins Club. The symbolic colors of Minnesota Twins. Mississippi River of Minnesota landscape. denotation (external sign) Minnesota landscape is expressed in a flat and simple format. The twin cities of Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul, are symbolized in a cartoon illustration styled twin athletes. The friendly hand shaking Twin athletes and a baseball and a bat, across the Mississippi River are signification symbolizing the features of professional baseball. Modified sans-serif type is used to harmoniously express the modernity and dynamism. Secondary Signification connotation (implied sign) The twin athletes, which is the origin of the club s name Twins, show commercial strategy to secure a wide fan based on both regions. Two athletes, representing each city, shaking hands symbolizes the connection between the two regions. It symbolizes for unlimited communions and exchanges, harmony as a club, and the sports spirits. The interaction between the urban culture and professional baseball is symbolized, conveying the geographic, emotional, and culture meanings. 38

14 LG ( ) ( ) ( ) LG LG. LG. LG LG.. LG...,,... Emblem LG Twins Primary Signification expression element (significant) Logotype of LG Group, which is the parent company of LG Twins club. Robot athletes symbolizes the Twin Tower, the headquarters of LG Group. The fan-shaped baseball field colored in red, which is the symbolic color of LG Group. denotation (external sign) Twin cities are symbolized as the twin athletes, representing the harmonized unity of the two cities. Twin robot athletes in a hitting posture with the baseball bat together with the fan-shaped modern graphic of baseball field are symbols of the professional baseball features. Modified sans-serif type is used to harmoniously express the modernity and dynamism. Secondary Signification connotation (implied sign) The Twin robot athletes show the origin of club name. This also essentially suggests the close relationship between the parent company and the club. Philosophy of LG Group, Human Resource Unity and Future Technology are represented by the robot athletes. The image of club and parent company is implied by connecting the tradition and innovation, present and future. Traditional use of animal emblem is avoided and trendy and innovative design is used to imply the opening a new era. [2] LG Signification Analysis of Minnesota Twins and LG Twins Emblem Paper. Lee Chae

15 ( )..,,.., 1 2.[3] LG MBC. 12 LG.[4] LG. in the [2] the club and regional city and league related symbol is expressed as a denotation meaning. The primary sign expression and its implied image are integrated to communicate the secondary connotation, including the club s philosophy, characteristics and culture. 11 Focusing on the emblem, which is the most important element of brand identity design, the symbolism of Minnesota Twins and LG Twins are analyzed. The implied image element and signification are studied to find out not only the similarities and differences of the formats but also the implied meaning and ideology. Following is the comparison of emblems of LG Twins and Minnesota Twins to analyze the signification of their geometric symbolism; [2] As a result, the primary signification of both are analyzed as the twin athletes and professional baseball features including the geographical features of the club and the shape of headquarters building. Based on the geometric denotation of primary signification, secondary signification of connotation meaning functions to symbolize the club image in regional and parent company ideology or in the cultural level Mascot and Uniform After the WWII, Japan accommodated professional baseball from United States. Mascots were adopted as the symbol of each club under the influence of character industry and Manga (Japan Animation) and are still in use. They became the representative identity of Japanese professional baseball. When Korean professional baseball was founded, Japanese professional baseball was benchmarked. Clubs operated by corporates, naming of the clubs, use of mascot, exchange of players and directors were adopted. Early Korean professional baseball clubs actively engaged promotional activities using their mascots. The table below is a comparison 40 12, This can be explained by the semiotics perspective of Roland Barthes. His mythology was formed by noticing the relationship between revealed meaning and implied meaning in the text by understanding the denotation and connotation. Barthes understands and explains the mythology as social reality in a culture such as social common idea, value, belief, ideology and more. He interprets such method of sequentially relating reality and value as Synchrony.

16 41 : :,, :,. Club Similarity Difference Haitai Tigers Hanshin Tigers Mascot: A strong tiger Color: Typography in Yellow, Red, Black and White Korean Haitai Tigers uses rectangular shape and sans-serif type. Japanese Hanshin Tigers uses circle and serif type. : :,,. Club Similarity Difference Binggrae Eagles Rakuten Eagles Mascot: Friendly eagle in a posture Color: Orange, Red Korean Binggrae Eagles characterized one eagle. Japanese Rakuten Eagles characterized a couple of Eagles. : :, ( ):. Club Similarity Difference Busan Lotte Giants Chiba Lotte Marines Mascot: A seagull with wings wide spread Color: Typography in Grey, White and Black Shape: Outer shape in the shape of baseball Busan Lotte Giants partially uses blue, which is the symbolic color of the club. [3] Comparison Between the Early Korean Professional Baseball Mascots and Japanese Club Mascots Paper. Lee Chae

17 [4] LG LG Twins Mascot [5] LG LG Twins Logotype [6] 2016 LG LG Twins Uniform for Season

18 BI 90 LG BI LG, LG Twins, LG LG CI Twins LG 13 24,197,013 (2013, KBO ) 1, 2014 LG , ( ) ( ) ( ). ( ) ( )., LG,. Twins, of similarities and differences between the similar club emblems of Korea and Japan. Comparison based on the primary signification of denotation meanings, including the shape and color, was considered important. Therefore, the secondary signification was not proceeded. [3] MBC Chungyong was taken over on March 15, 1990 and LG Twins was established with the mascot of twin children robots dressed like players in a striking posture. 12 This was a differentiated attempt compare to other clubs mascot made of animals. LG Twins mascot represented the parent company s philosophy of Respect to Humans. As mentioned earlier, the Twin Tower, the headquarters of the parent company LG Group, is used as an important visual communication element not only in the brand name but also in the mascot. This enhanced building up the brand identity. [4] The uniform of LG Twins is a combination of strong black and white stripes. Color use is controlled as possible to present the image of sophisticated urbanism and gentlemen of the ground. Also known as the Pinstripe, this strong identity was based on the black and white striped uniform of New York Yankees, a club based in New York. This non-regional new urban image and the image of the prestigious club firmly established the identity. Previous Korean clubs used Japanese club BI as the model, whereas LG Twins which was re-established in the 90s referred to the US club name and BI. From 1990 to 2005, LG was written in Roman Alphabets and Twins was written in Hangeul. They were both in a hand script type. Since 2005, both LG and Twins were changed to Roman Alphabets. LG was changed to the sans-serif CI of LG Group, and Twins stayed in the hand script type. The strategy behind this renewal was to maintain the tradition and unity while keeping the identity as the club s own brand. This 43 13,. 4., LG. 14,, «Kyunhyang Newspaper», 6 March Paper. Lee Chae

19 .[5], BI,,, BI,, LG BI Twins T,..[6],. LG, LG.,.,. strategy resulted the first place by having total of 24,197,013 people (cumulative number of visitors by 2013, KBO statistics) billion won worth of LG Twins uniforms were sold, resulting the highest sales revenue of uniform. (As LG Twins are based in Seoul, they have largest number of visitors) Typography Typography is a comprehensive and systematic design which effectively uses written language as a visual communication formative symbol. The role of typography in identity design, including the brand logo, is to visualize (informatize) visual or verbal language. In fact, types (brand name) functions as readable as well as visible. In the process of brand logo development, a designer selects a method to communicate both meaning (read) and image (see). As mentioned earlier, LG Twins is a mixture of all-caps and title case, using two different typefaces in the logotype. Twins which represent the baseball club uses a unique modified sans-serif type. This interesting type emphasizes the dynamism and rhythm which are the features of a sports. The shape of stroke and white space is uniquely designed, resulting a formative, unique and symbolic while being readable. [5] The typography in uniform, in other words the BI or logotype, is used as one of the most influential brand marketing methods to communicate the club s characteristics, philosophy, fellowship, identity and more. The size, composition and layout f BI is decided upon the design and color of the uniform. As the uniform of LG Twins has straight stripe patterns, the attractiveness and legibility was enhanced by modifying the T of Twins with the curve, which made it appear more sophisticated. Grey shadow was added on the logotype to make the logotype appear more three dimensional, resulting the features of the sports, dynamism. The red logotype 13 Seoul is the center of power and capital. Largescaled housing development, formation of Gangnam area, construction of highways was highly concentrated compare to other regions. As a result, its population is over 10 million and is the fourth largest city in the world. In order to build and maintain the megalopolis, a source of supply was needed. The source of supply was increased and expanded as time passed. Due to the naturally influxe source of supply, regional character of Seoul was weakened. When LG Twins has a game at Jamsil Stadium, the LG Twins home stadium, a distinctive phenomenon appears; the ratio between home fans and away fans turn out to be equal Min Changgi, «Sports Chosun», 30 April 2016.

20 4. LG LG,,,. LG (1943 ), MBC, MBC LG. LG (1968 ) (1965 ), (1960 ), (1969 ), (1961 ) , 4.,. LG SK. LG, LG LG.. LG,. 5., ( ).,., ( ).,,. in an angle on top of the black straight striped background well harmonizes the distinctive shaped typeface and the space. This highlighted the brand while being both functional and symbolic. [6] Elements, other than the advertisements, which are communicated via text in the baseball field are the score board and the uniform. The player name and number on the back of player s uniform are the information which visitors need to see and read at the same time. The legibility and visibility of this information is important as they need to be communicated with no confusion. LG Twins is using heavy strong sans-serif type for this. Like most of other clubs, LG Twins uniform does not use any typeface or typography to represent the identity of their corporate or club. In this point, I think it is necessary to study the methods to communicate the identity of corporate or club while maintaining the legibility and visibility. Identity is not a conflicting concept to the legibility and visibility yet such idea and attempt was not tested enough in the uniform design. 4. The Branding Methods of LG Twins LG Twins was the first case which the naming, design, in other words the branding, was changed while maintaining the players, fans and regional base. The first director of LG Twins was Baek Incheon(1943 ). He was the first and last of MBC Chungyong, and the first to inherit MBC Chungyong to LG Twins. In the first year of establishment in 1990, a rookie catcher Kim Dongsoo(1968 ) and veteran Noh Chanyup(1965 ), Kim Sanghoon(1960 ), Kim Yongsoo(1969), Chung Sanghum(1961 ), and more performed a remarkable play. LG Twins won the first regular season in the year 1990 and joined the Korean Series. They won all four matches against Samsung Lions, and made a remarkable achievement of Winning Korean Series in the first year of establishment. The team color revealed in the game style was dynamism with no boredom and their style became known as the Shinbaram(exciting) Baseball. The Shinbaram Baseball slogan became the core of LG Twins brand. Such strategy is similar to branding strategies of Hanhwa Eagles Bulkot(flame) and SK Wyverns Pom(Posture). Another element in the branding aspect of Shinbaram is the cheering culture. In Korean professional baseball, the cheering culture before LG Twins was in a line with that of military, business team sports and university sports. However, the cheering of Shinbaram Baseball was an exciting cheering culture enjoyed by the LG Twins 45 Paper. Lee Chae

21 . : LG. 21, 4 (2008, 78 ): LG, ( ).. «:»., :, :, «40». :, «25», :, «:». :, «21» 23, 2 (2013, 49 ): Aaker, D. «Building Strong Brands», New York: The Free Press, Barthes, Roland. «Elements of Semiology», New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Keller, K.L. «Strategic Brand Management: Building, Managing Brand Equity». 2nd Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003., LG 15, 10, ( ), team and fans. Subsequent Jayul(autonomic) Baseball was another successful branding. LG Twins created a new term Jayul Baseball in the establishment of civilian government and globalization strategy of the parent company. This was an opposite concept to the existing Gwanri(heteronymous) Baseball, and the first attempt to make the young players into idols. 5. Conclusion In this study I looked into the historical, political and economic backgrounds of the establishment of Korean professional baseball. Based on the facts, I researched on how this had developed and grown in the relation with the industries of the 80s and 90s (especially the identity design industry). In this research with visual communication design point of view, the process of visual communication design field, which was previously recognized as fragmentary in the professional sports fields, being expanded into the Branding upon the demand of industry was summarized. Another objective of this research was to promote more in-depth case studies based on this research. This research also aimed to activate a discussion on how the professional sports can de further developed in the user (visitor) experience context. This study was initiated from the need for design discussion as a colligation of all user experiences who enjoy the modern professional sports in the fragmentary paradigm of the past. In this context, I plan to further study design methodologies for Korean professional sports strategies focused on the baseball of today and near future. 46 Bibliography Aaker, D. «Building Strong Brands», New York: The Free Press, Barthes, Roland. «Elements of Semiology». New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Kang Hyunjoo. Change of Generation and Corporate Design: Focusing on LG Electronics. «Journal of Design Research» Vol. 21 No. 4, Keller, K.L. «Strategic Brand Management: Building, Managing Brand Equity». 2nd Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Kim Cjisoo et al. «The Development of Modern Semiotics». Seoul: Seoul National University Press, Kim Hyun. «Forty Years of Kim Hyun». Seoul: Hong Design, Kim Jinkook. «The Relationship between Professional Football Club and

22 the Regional Society: Community Contribution and Club Leadership». Seoul: Yonsei University, Kyunhyang Newspaper, 6 March Park Haechun et al. «Korean Design: Industry, Culture and History». Seoul: Sizirak, «Twenty Five Years of Design Park». Seoul: Hong Design, Website Min Changgi. Sports Chosun, 30 April Translation. Ku Jaeun Paper. Lee Chae