[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A controversy is brewing after a large anime event in China featured female cosplayers selling water in which they had soaked their feet.
The event drew so much attention that visitors lined up to buy it, but the organizers removed the participants, citing on-site order and the event’s image.
According to Chinese media outlets including Sina Finance, some female cosplayers at the recent Firefly Comic Convention in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, soaked their bare feet in a large water container with lemon slices and sold the water to visitors for 50 yuan, or about 10,000 won, per cup.
A notice at the venue also stated that it was “an event for entertainment only and not intended to encourage inappropriate behavior.”
As word of the unusual event spread, many visitors lined up to buy the so-called “Feet Juice,” and some took photos and videos to share on social media.
It has not been confirmed whether buyers actually drank the water, but videos circulating online reportedly showed some male visitors lying on the floor with their mouths open to catch water dripping from the women’s feet, or touching the feet directly.
As the venue became crowded and the controversy grew, the organizers asked the female cosplayers to leave.
The organizers explained that the behavior violated event rules and could not be allowed in order to maintain public order and protect the event’s image.
Local internet users who heard the news criticized the event, saying, “It’s hard to understand the sellers, but the buyers are even more surprising,” while others pointed out, “Infectious disease doctors would be stunned by this.”
Some also argued that strong punishment is needed, saying, “Are young people forgetting public order and basic social norms?”
In China, anime and cosplay culture has grown rapidly in recent years, with more than 400 large-scale related events held nationwide each year, and popular events reportedly drawing as many as 400,000 visitors.
However, excessive performances by some participants have repeatedly sparked controversy.
At an event in Guangzhou in May, police were called after a female cosplayer was filming on top of a vehicle and a crowd of male visitors gathered to touch her feet.
In another case, an event held in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, in June drew public criticism after a production company dressed female models in revealing outfits and used provocative performances for online promotion.
Meanwhile, in May, an anime event in the United States also sparked controversy after participants sold so-called “feet juice” for $10 to $30 per cup.
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
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