"Why Is the 'Ewha Women's Soccer Team' in the Film?... Controversy Over Depiction of Circle Lenses, Makeup, and Slurs Against Korean Women's Soccer"

Stephen Chow's "Shaolin Soccer" Sequel a Box Office Hit
Controversy Erupts Over Depiction of Korean Team's "Foul Play"

'Kungfu Women's Soccer' trailer scene. Screenshot from SNS

Chinese film director and actor Stephen Chow’s latest film, the sequel to "Shaolin Soccer" released after 25 years, has become a box office sensation immediately upon release. However, controversy is spreading as the movie contains scenes that portray the Korean women's soccer team in a negative light.

Box Office Success Marred by Growing "Anti-Korean" Controversy

According to Chinese media such as The Paper and Guangming Daily on July 16, "Kungfu Women's Soccer," which opened on July 11, surpassed a cumulative box office of 600 million yuan (approximately 132.3 billion won) within just three days. It grossed 260 million yuan on its opening day, 239 million yuan on the second day, and continued to dominate the summer box office by exceeding 100 million yuan even on weekdays.

This film is a sequel to "Shaolin Soccer," which was a hit across Asia in 2001. It is a comedy that follows the underdog women's soccer team "Armyfa" as they combine martial arts and soccer to achieve miracles.

'Kungfu Women's Soccer' Poster. Screenshot from SNS

However, certain plot elements in the film have become the focal point of controversy. A Korean team called the "Ewha Women's Soccer Team" appears in the movie, which critics argue is reminiscent of the real Ewha Womans University, a well-known women’s university in Korea. In particular, this team is depicted as one whose specialty is committing fouls—tripping, striking opponents, and exaggerating actions to manipulate the referee’s decisions.

Depiction of Appearance and Behavior... Criticism Over Reinforcing Stereotypes

The controversy is spreading beyond the match scenes to the overall character portrayals. The Korean players are shown focusing on makeup and wearing circle lenses, characterizing them as a group fixated on appearances, which has drawn further criticism. There are also scenes featuring stilted Korean dialogue such as "Referee, please help," which some argue could foster negative perceptions.

Professor Seo Kyungduk of Sungshin Women's University emphasized through social media, "Not only the trailer, but the entire film includes scenes that denigrate the Korean women's soccer team," adding, "Even if it is fiction, repeatedly distorting the sports of a particular country is problematic."

Such portrayals have especially come under fire for potentially reinforcing negative stereotypes about Korea. Critics also point out that the content—targeted at the global market—did not adequately consider cultural sensitivity.

Korean internet users strongly criticized the film, commenting: "China is the last nation that should talk about 'fouls' to us," "China's behavior is just laughable at this point," "It's scary that such depictions could damage our national image," "Directly using the school's name has truly crossed the line," "This movie should never be allowed to screen in Korea," "It reeks of inferiority toward our country," and "Let's boycott this content completely."

Currently, "Kungfu Women's Soccer" holds a 6.6 out of 10 rating on Chinese film review site Douban, indicating mixed reviews on its artistic merit. Chinese media estimate its final box office revenue could reach 2.5 billion yuan (about 551.4 billion won).

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