The controversy centers around Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, whose affiliations with different brands have led to mixed fortunes. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – The aftermath of the so-called “Table Tennis Gate” incident, involving a physical altercation between players of the Korean national football team ahead of the Asian Cup semi-finals, is now affecting the retail sector.
The controversy centers around Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, whose affiliations with different brands have led to mixed fortunes.
MegaMGC Coffee, which features Son Heung-min as its brand ambassador, has seen a positive impact from the player’s performance during the Asian Cup. The coffee brand ran a promotion offering strawberry season menu coupons for every victory of the Korean national team or goal by Son Heung-min.
Following Son’s crucial free-kick goal in the quarter-finals against Australia, MegaMGC Coffee reported a surge in orders, with the strawberry season beverage surpassing 1.47 million cups sold in less than a month.
The brand noted that over 100,000 people were waiting to access its official app when Son scored the turnaround goal during the quarter-final match.
In contrast, Arachi Chicken, endorsed by Lee Kang-in, has experienced negative repercussions following the incident. Reports suggested that the conflict arose when younger players, including Lee, attempted to play table tennis after dinner, leading to a dispute with team captain Son.
Arachi Chicken selected Lee Kang-in as a model. (Photo: a screenshot from Instagram)
Following these reports, Arachi Chicken removed Lee’s advertisement from its official website, although his image remains on the brand’s YouTube channel and Instagram. Comments on these platforms indicate a growing call for a boycott of the brand.
Arachi Chicken, a franchise operated by Samhwa Foods, known for its sauces and ready-to-eat products, has yet to respond to the public backlash. Meanwhile, telecom giant KT has reportedly removed promotional posters featuring Lee for the Galaxy S24 from its stores, a day earlier than the scheduled end of the promotion.
Lee is expected to make an official statement regarding the incident soon. His legal representative, attorney Kim Ga-ram from law firm Seo On, clarified that reports of Lee punching Son Heung-min in the face were inaccurate and promised a forthcoming personal address by Lee once his condition improves.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
