"Is This the Taegeukgi?"... UAE Shake Shack Faces Controversy Over Fake Taegeukgi on World Cup Merchandise

Incorrect Taegeukgi Used at Abu Dhabi Store

Seo Kyung-duk: "Will Protest to Headquarters and Demand Distribution Halt"

The global hamburger chain Shake Shack is facing controversy for using an incorrect version of the Taegeukgi, the South Korean national flag, on merchandise produced for the 2026 North-Central America World Cup.

A fake Taegukgi is drawn on the World Cup commemorative goods provided by Shake Shack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Instagram of Professor Seokyeong Deok

On July 14, Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University stated on his social media account that he had received a report about "fake Taegeukgi" appearing on World Cup commemorative goods provided by Shake Shack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to Professor Seo, customers at the local Shake Shack store receive a finger-shaped souvenir featuring the flags of the 48 countries that qualified for the North-Central America World Cup finals when they purchase a World Cup set menu.

However, the Taegeukgi displayed on the merchandise did not properly reflect the actual South Korean flag. The central Taegeuk symbol was depicted as a simple red and blue circle split in half, with its curves and color arrangement differing from the authentic flag. In addition, the four trigrams (Geon, Gon, Gam, and Ri)—core components of the Taegeukgi—were all missing, leaving only a red and blue circle at the center of a white background.

Professor Seo commented, "It is unacceptable for a global hamburger chain to make such a mistake with a national symbol like the flag." He added, "While it is unclear how much stock remains, I plan to send an official protest email to Shake Shack headquarters soon, demanding an immediate halt to the distribution of this merchandise."

He further criticized the effort, noting that Shake Shack's CEO had recently announced plans to strengthen marketing ahead of the 2026 North-Central America World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. "Offering this kind of merchandise to consumers undermines the meaning of the World Cup," he said.

Finally, he emphasized, "A truly global company must first develop an attitude of accurately understanding the basic information about the countries in which it does business."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.