Manchester City Players' "Happy Chuseok" Greetings Spark Chinese Accusations of "Cultural Appropriation"

Seo Kyung-duk: "Only the date coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival... The origins are completely different"
"In fact, they should refrain from appropriating Korean culture"

Players of Manchester City in the English Premier League (EPL) are sending Chuseok greetings. Photo by Seokyungdeok Facebook

Manchester City, a club in the English Premier League (EPL), has posted a video celebrating Korea's traditional holiday, Chuseok. In response, Chinese netizens have strongly protested, accusing the club of "stealing culture."

Recently, on Manchester City's official social media channels, star players such as Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne greeted Korean fans with "Happy Chuseok" messages.

However, Chinese media outlets like Tencent News reported that public opinion in China is in an uproar over Manchester City's Chuseok-related post for Korean fans. They claim that Manchester City is encouraging Korea's alleged appropriation of Chinese traditional culture.

Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, countered, "Some Chinese netizens are expressing great anger, suggesting that ties with Manchester City should be severed, and insisting that Chinese companies sponsoring Manchester City should strongly object." He emphasized, "Although Korea's Chuseok and China's Mid-Autumn Festival fall on the same date, their historical origins and cultural significance are completely different."

He added, "The cultural chauvinism of some Chinese netizens who lack proper education is truly a case of 'the pot calling the kettle black.' In fact, they should refrain from appropriating Korean culture or other cultures themselves."

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