Basketball is rapidly gaining popularity among Korean elementary, middle, and high school students. The sport is emerging as an after-school refuge because it supports growth, allows multiple players to exercise with just one ball, and can be played indoors regardless of weather.
According to the Korea Basketball Association on the 14th, participating teams and host regions for the i-League, a youth community basketball league that opened on the 3rd of this month, have been increasing every year.
The i-League is hosted by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and jointly organized by the association and regional basketball associations, entering its fifth year. Youth basketball clubs, sports classes, and school sports clubs nationwide participate, with divisions for elementary, middle, girls' middle, and high school levels.
The number of participating teams grew from 416 in 2022, the league's inaugural year, to 527 in 2023, 651 in 2024, and 664 last year. The number of local governments hosting the league also expanded from 19 regions in 2022 to 28 regions last year. "Since this year's league recently started and most local governments are still recruiting participating teams, the exact number of participating teams will be known only after the season ends," an association official said. "Based on past league operations, we expect participating teams and hosting local governments to continue increasing as the league progresses."
Youth club players at teams run by the Korean Basketball League (KBL) are also increasing. According to the KBL, member counts at club-run youth programs grew from 22,210 in 2024 to 23,293 in 2025 and 28,807 in 2026, a nearly 30% increase over the past two years. The Seoul SK Knights, the club with the most youth members, operates four directly managed centers and 19 franchise partner locations with approximately 7,000 members. Since 2019, the KBL has held the "KBL Youth Dream Camp" for sixth-grade students belonging to each club's youth program, helping expand the sport's base.
Basketball training facilities are also growing. According to the status of registered sports facility businesses nationwide released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, basketball training facilities in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Busan, and Incheon grew from 171 in 2022 to 191 in 2023. Seoul in particular saw a 65% jump from 26 locations in 2022 to 43 in 2023. Over the same period, Gyeonggi Province grew from 94 to 117 locations, Busan from 8 to 15, and Incheon from 26 to 33. "Since COVID-19, inquiries about opening basketball academies using KBL club licenses have steadily increased," a youth basketball official said. "The number of club-run youth programs is also rising every year, and we expect this growth to continue this year."
Experts analyze that basketball's popularity among students stems from its benefits for height growth and the cooperation it teaches through team play. "Basketball movements such as jumping, dribbling, and shooting stimulate growth plates in various ways, helping children grow taller," a basketball club official said. "Through games where players compete under strict rules and discipline while cooperating with teammates on offense and defense, children also naturally learn the importance of collaboration." Another official added, "As more schools restrict playground use outside of class hours due to safety concerns and noise complaints, private sports clubs after school are serving as a refuge for elementary, middle, and high school students."
Parents cite the relatively low cost and safe environment as key attractions. "Compared to other sports such as soccer or baseball, basketball doesn't require much equipment and tuition fees are relatively affordable," said a parent who sends their child to a KBL club's youth program. "Since it's played indoors with heating and cooling, children feel safe and comfortable." The parent added, "The perception that it's a sport that helps children grow taller is also a major reason for choosing basketball."
