In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, it changed nearly every aspect of daily life — including the world of professional sports. With stadiums closed to the public, teams were forced to come up with creative ways to recreate the energy of a live audience. But no one expected what happened in South Korea: a football team filled their empty stadium seats with bambole del sesso.

A Strange Attempt to Bring Back the Crowd

With strict social distancing rules in place, the K-League — South Korea’s top-tier football league — resumed matches without live audiences. One team, FC Seoul, wanted to make their home stadium feel a bit less empty. COSÌ, they decided to fill the seats with life-sized mannequins.

From mannequins to sex dolls — a huge miscalculation

The club reportedly worked with a supplier to order realistic human figures, believing they were simply mannequins. But in an unexpected twist, the figures delivered were actually premium sex dolls from a company that specializes in adult products. Many fans quickly noticed the ultra-realistic features, the provocative facial expressions, and even adult brand logos on the dolls’ clothing.

Dressed up and seated like real fans

Wearing team jerseys and face masks, the dolls were positioned in the stands to mimic cheering supporters. Some even held signs — one of which displayed a logo linked to a known sex toy manufacturer. It didn’t take long for sharp-eyed viewers and social media users to realize something was off.

Internet Meltdown: Accident or Marketing Stunt?

The moment pictures from the stadium surfaced online, the internet exploded with reactions. Major media outlets like BBC, CNN, and The Guardian picked up the story. On Twitter and Reddit, users shared memes, jokes, and wild theories.

FC Seoul issued a public apology

The football club quickly apologized, insisting it was a misunderstanding and that they never intended to use sex dolls. They claimed the supplier mislabeled the products and that the team didn’t realize the nature of the dolls until it was too late.

Viral success even if unintentional

Regardless of the intent, the event brought global attention to the team and the K-League. Keywords like “sex dolls in stadium” and “FC Seoul scandal” trended online. Some marketing experts even speculated whether this bizarre incident might have been a clever — if risky — publicity stunt.

League Authorities Step In

While the incident may have entertained the internet, K-League officials weren’t amused. The league took swift action against FC Seoul for what they considered a breach of professionalism.

UN $85,000 fine for “damaging the league’s reputation”

K-League ha multato il club 100 milioni vinti (in giro $85000), stating the incident had “deeply humiliated” the league. La punizione ha aggiunto carburante al fuoco dei media, Mantenere la storia nei titoli per giorni.

Un simbolo della realtà surreale del 2020

Quello che sembrava un errore sciocco si trasformò rapidamente in uno dei momenti più iconici e assurdi del mondo sportivo dell'era pandemica. Ma rifletteva anche una verità più profonda - in tempi di crisi, Possono emergere anche le soluzioni più non convenzionali.

Quando i veri fan non sono ammessi, Quelli falsi entrano

Dai fan virtuali in zoom ai ritagli di cartone, Legali sportivi in tutto il mondo hanno esplorato tutti i tipi di alternative al pubblico reale. La debacle della bambola di FC Seoul ha semplicemente fatto un ulteriore passo avanti - forse troppo lontano.