KT goes Lee Kang-in crazy with one-man fan zone in center of Seoul

Football

KT goes Lee Kang-in crazy with one-man fan zone in center of Seoul

Published: 05 Sep. 2024, 13:55 Updated: 05 Sep. 2024, 17:22

PAIK JI-HWAN
paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr

The front of the KT store-turned-Lee Kang-in fan zone in western Seoul [PAIK JI-HWAN]

Korean national team sponsor KT opened a fan zone in Hongdae, western Seoul on Wednesday ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Palestine on Thursday. But fans of Son Heung-min or Hwang Hee-chan will need to leave their bias at the door because KT are only interested in one man: 23-year-old Lee Kang-in.

KT transformed its Hongdae store Wednesday into a Lee fan zone where visitors can view a sort-of museum set up of autographed jerseys, footballs and boots and pick up some free badges, a personalized AI message and Lee's signature.

Although in Korean the rebranded shop is called a "fan store," KT have opted not to actually sell any Lee merchandise.

Football boots that Lee Kang-in used as a child [PAIK JI-HWAN]

Lee, who plays in midfield for Paris Saint-Germain when he's not with the national team, has been under contract with KT for five years, appearing in advertisements and as an ambassador for the brand. That explains why KT went all-in on the 23 year old, although the telecoms company is also the shirt sponsor for the Korean national team.

But while Lee takes center stage in Hongdae, the national team only got a small booth within the fan zone, where pictures of Son, Kim Min-jae and Hwang can be seen arfully arranged behind the man of the moment: Lee.

The fan zone not only has everything Lee has ever touched on display, but is also home to an AI version of the young midfielder that can greet visitors by name and thank them for supporting Korean football.

The video of Lee — who admittedly looks rather unimpressed to be there, although that is presumably the AI's inability to fake emotion rather than anything Lee brought to the record — appears on a large screen after a visitor uploads their personal details. The final result can then be downloaded on to the visitor's phone.

“Hello customer Paik Ji-hwan, this is Lee Kang-in,” AI Lee said to this reporter. “Thank you for always supporting Korean football. Korean football was able to improve thanks to all of you. I ask for a lot of attention and support even from now, and please enjoy your time at this fan store.”

The fan zone opened a day before Lee is expected to be in action with the national team in a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Palestine in Seoul on Thursday. The fan zone is open to the public through Oct. 15, the day Korea play Iraq in another qualifier at home.

“The reason we started this is because we were trying to underscore the invigoration of our KT stores, and we used Lee, as he is the best option we have among our assets” KT Brand Senior Manager Kim Sa-woo said Wednesday. “Since we already have a contract with him, we capitalized on that and filled this store with things that visitors can enjoy.”

And KT really did go hard on the Lee angle. Visitors at the fan zone can choose from 20 different Lee badges in two different sizes. The pictures include Lee wearing national team jerseys or training kits.

Lee Kang-in badges [PAIK JI-HWAN]

Visitors can also get Lee’s autograph, of sorts, printed on literally anything they want (presumably within reason), using an automated autograph printer.

A scanner that prints Lee Kang-in's autograph [PAIK JI-HWAN]

A Lee Kang-in signed football [PAIK JI-HWAN]

National team jerseys and training kits are also on display, as well as pictures from Lee's younger days — Lee has been a household name in Korea since he was six years old.

In the center of the fan zone there is an “event experience zone” where visitors can register with KT, post a required hashtag on social medal and earn a chance to win Lee-related items in a lucky draw. The winnable items include Lee autographed jerseys, training kits and mini footballs.

The Lee Kang-in “event experience zone″ [PAIK JI-HWAN]

Those who fail to win will still walk away with a signed pictures.

Next to the event experience zone is a small “national team exhibition zone,” where fans can win a national team jersey autographed by every national team member on the books for the World Cup qualifiers this month by correctly guessing the starting XI for Thursday’s fixture.

The “national team exhibition zone″ [PAIK JI-HWAN]

While none of the jerseys displayed are buyable, the first 50 people who visit from Wednesday to Sunday can win one of four Lee t-shirts.

KT Brand Senior Manager Kim said that people waited in line on Wednesday for a chance to win the shirts.

Lee is a fan favorite in Korea, where he has been seen as the future of Korean football since starring on the TV show “Fly Shoot Dori” at six years old. He has been a regular midfielder pick on the national team with 29 caps under his belt as of press time Thursday since his senior team debut in 2019.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]