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South Korea's FC Seoul apologises for using sex dolls to fill empty stands in home stadium

WION Web Team
Seoul, South KoreaUpdated: May 18, 2020, 03:17 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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While the stadium was empty, South Korean football club FC Seoul tried filling their home ground with mannequins. But the move took a drastic turn after it was noticed that the mannequins are actually sex dolls. 

Football has finally returned to South Korea after a prolonged break due to COVID-19 pandemic. While the stadium was empty, South Korean football club FC Seoul tried filling their home ground with mannequins. But the move took a drastic turn after it was noticed that the mannequins are actually sex dolls. 

Seoul FC has since apologized as they stated they have been a victim of a misunderstanding and mix-up as they stated that the supplier had made an assurance that the dolls were not intended for sexual use.

“We would like to apologise to the fans,” FC Seoul said in a statement on Instagram. “We are deeply sorry.”

It added: “Our intention was to do something light-hearted in these difficult times. We will think hard about what we need to do to ensure that something like this never happens again.”

Seoul FC locked horns with Gwangju FC as cardboard cut-outs and mannequins replaced fans in the stand with music in the stadium replacing the atmosphere created by the fans. 

Some on social media platforms pointed out that the dolls were carrying the name of live streamer BJ Chaero, who is reportedly the physical inspiration behind doll’s design, as per the Koreaboo website.

“There must have been a countless number of people involved in getting that approved, shipped, dressed, and seated,” Koreaboo quoted one as saying. “In that process, no one thought to question the visuals of these mannequins?”

Images from the stadium showed around 10 dolls spaced out in seats in front of cut-outs of team players. But social media users kept on pointing that something was wrong. 

One fan who spotted the blunder before the club said sorry wrote: "FC Seoul put these mannequin supporters in stands which was also tried by Dinamo Brest.

Another posted: "Seriously, though. Imagine the thought process involved in filling your stadium with female sex dolls in football kits and thinking it's a good idea. Nice one, @FCSeoul."

Earlier in May, South Korea’s K-League became the first football league to hold matches with the first match post-resumption gaining traction from a worldwide audience.