NHL Fans Divided Over LA Kings’ Harmonica Performance of National Anthem
The Daily Mail reports that the LA Kings’ decision to feature a harmonica performance of the national anthem for the second consecutive game has left fans divided. The harmonica class of the Korea-Town Senior and Community Center, who first performed at the Kings’ first home playoff game this season, returned to Crypto.com Arena in LA on Wednesday night to play the national anthem in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
According to The Daily Mail, the group of harmonica players, dressed in traditional Korean clothing for their first performance, wore Kings jerseys for their second appearance. The audience roared in approval as the chorus of fans sang out the words to the song before the home team battled the Edmonton Oilers.
As The Daily Mail notes, while some fans applauded the return of the harmonica performance, others were left stunned that they were invited back. The publication reports that opinion on the internet was divided between love and hate for the harmonica performance.
Some fans expressed their support for the harmonica performance on social media. "Lmao the kings brought back the harmonics [sic] for the national anthem. If they win again today they have the be there for the whole playoffs," wrote one person on X in favor of the harmonicas. Another supporter said, "the only acceptable way to have a national anthem play before any kind of sport should be harmonica covers ONLY moving forward. i’m glad the kings got those ladies jerseys."
As quoted in The Daily Mail, another fan said, "Took off my cap and faced east towards Koreatown as the Harmonica Class performed the National Anthem. #GKG," while a fourth fan expressed their enthusiasm, stating, "The harmonica national anthem is my favorite story in all of hockey this year, I’m obsessed with those ladies."
However, not all fans were pleased with the performance. One viewer wondered, "WTAF is going on with the US national anthem in LA. #OilersvKings," while an Edmonton Oilers fan posted, "It was funny the first time, but the Korean harmonica national anthem is stupid and awful. LA deserves to get their a**es beat, just because of this."
The Daily Mail reports that a camera panning across the Kings bench caught LA forward Andrei Kuzmenko smiling toward the end of the performance. Despite the divided opinions, the Kings got off to a great start when defenseman Brandt Clarke scored in the first period to give LA an advantage.
Ultimately, the Kings won the game 6-2 with three goals late in the third period to take a 2-0 series advantage. As The Daily Mail notes, the harmonica performance may have brought a unique touch to the game, but it has also sparked a lively debate among fans.
The LA Kings’ next game will be closely watched to see if the harmonica class of the Korea-Town Senior and Community Center returns to perform the national anthem once again.
The harmonica performance has brought attention to the LA Kings and their creative approach to the national anthem. According to The Daily Mail, the Korea-Town Senior and Community Center’s harmonica class has become a talking point in the NHL, with fans and critics weighing in on the unusual performance.
As reported by The Daily Mail, the LA Kings’ decision to feature the harmonica performance has sparked a lively debate among fans, with some embracing the unique twist and others expressing their disapproval.
The controversy surrounding the harmonica performance has not overshadowed the team’s success on the ice, with the Kings taking a 2-0 series advantage over the Edmonton Oilers.
