Korean-American grandmothers are making headlines by performing the U.S. national anthem on harmonica at a North American Hockey League (NHL) game.
On the 21st (Korea time), the LA Kings faced the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
Before the game, the Korean-American grandmothers introduced as participants in a harmonica class at the Koreatown Senior & Community Center appeared and played the U.S. national anthem, 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'
The grandmothers, dressed elegantly in traditional hanbok, played the harmonica delicately, although not skillfully, maintaining the melody. The 20,000 spectators watching their performance soon joined in singing along, creating a stunning scene that brought special emotions.
In response, Sports Illustrated reported, 'The rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' played solely on harmonica was very unique and provided a different feeling that had never been heard before.'
It continued, 'What made this special moment even brighter was that the audience sang along, enveloping the entire venue in an emotional atmosphere,' adding, 'The scene of the harmonica and the audience's chorus together provided a goosebump-inducing moment for many.'
In this game, which began with the grandmothers' harmonica performance, the Kings achieved a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Oilers. This performance is now considered a 'lucky charm' for the team.
The Kings, who started the postseason brightly, called upon these grandmothers again for the second game held on the 24th. This time, the grandmothers wore Kings uniforms instead of hanbok, and once again, the venue became a stage for the chorus. The Kings won 6-2 again.
The Kings are now heading to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4. It is uncertain whether these Korean-American grandmothers will be invited back to the arena if the Kings have to play Game 5 at home.
These Korean-American grandmothers are trending on social media (SNS). While some fans criticized them for being inappropriate in playing the anthem, most emphasized the symbolic moment highlighting the contributions of the Korean and immigrant communities.
Meanwhile, the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are currently in the round of 16, with the finals taking place in June. The playoffs feature a total of 16 teams, with 8 teams each from the Eastern and Western Conferences, competing in a best-of-seven series to determine the champion. The team that first wins 4 games in each series advances to the next round.
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