Chinese film ‘Kung Fu Soccer’ sparks backlash over portrayal of Korean women’s football team
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By Hankookilbo
- Published Jul 18, 2026 12:13 pm KST
The fictional “Ewha” women’s football team appears in a scene from actor and director Stephen Chow’s new film “Kung Fu Soccer.” Captured from the film’s official trailer
A new film by Chinese actor and director Stephen Chow has sparked controversy for depicting a Korean women’s football team as appearance-obsessed, violent and dishonest, drawing criticism that it insults not only Korean women but also Korean sports.
Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, criticized Chow’s latest film, “Kung Fu Soccer,” saying it crossed the line from fictional exaggeration to disrespect.
“No matter how fictional a movie may be, it is wrong to repeatedly insult Korean sports,” Seo said.
The film is a follow-up to Chow’s 2001 hit “Shaolin Soccer.” This time, the comedy follows a group of martial arts-trained women who come together to form a football team. It premiered in China on July 11 and generated more than 600 million yuan ($84 million) in box office revenue within three days.
The controversy centers on the film’s depiction of a Korean team called “Ewha,” a name widely seen as referencing Ewha Womans University.
Players on the team are portrayed as being obsessed with makeup and cosmetic contact lenses rather than football. During matches, they secretly attack opposing players while pretending to be victims to deceive referees. In one scene, they shout in awkward Korean, “Referee, please help us!”
The portrayal drew criticism from the release of the trailer, with critics arguing that it mocked Korean women.
Chinese state media, including CCTV, have previously portrayed South Korea as a “plastic surgery factory,” using K-beauty as material for anti-Korean narratives by characterizing it as an obsession with cosmetic surgery.
Seo said the film portrays a team resembling Ewha Womans University as relying on dirty tactics and cheating while focusing more on appearance than athletic ability.
“Although the film presents itself as a low-budget comedy, it even inserted awkward Korean dialogue that only invites ridicule,” he said.
Seo also pointed to a 2022 Chinese short-track skating film released during the Beijing Winter Olympics that depicted Korean athletes as habitual cheaters, arguing that such portrayals repeatedly insult Korean sports.
Ahead of “Kung Fu Soccer” opening overseas in August, Seo urged the filmmakers to correct what he described as inappropriate portrayals and refrain from using offensive stereotypes that could harm neighboring countries.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
China Box Office: ‘All Wishes Come True!’ Surges to Top Spot, Pushing ‘Kung Fu Soccer’ to Second
Naman Ramachandran
Sun, July 26, 2026 at 11:26 PM PDT
2 min read
China Box Office: ‘All Wishes Come True!’ Surges to Top Spot, Pushing ‘Kung Fu Soccer’ to Second
Pearl Studio’s animated fantasy feature “All Wishes Come True!” took over the top position at the mainland China box office during the July 24–26 weekend, generating RMB314.8 million ($46.3 million) in its second weekend of release.
Directed by Mu Zhengyang, the film now has a cumulative total of $112.5 million. The family-friendly mythological comedy centers on eight ordinary mortals who must combine their wit and courage to outsmart formidable deities, earning the legendary status of the Eight Immortals.
Shenzhen Film Studio’s sports comedy “Kung Fu Soccer” moved to second place in its third weekend, adding $33.9 million. Directed by Stephen Chow, the hit production has reached a cumulative box office total of $286.6 million. The film follows an amateur women’s team as they integrate high-flying martial arts into professional soccer to contend for a major championship.
Damai Entertainment’s sci-fi epic “The Decisive Moment” debuted in third position, bringing in $6.4 million over the weekend. Including early screenings since its July 25 launch, the film has taken $8.6 million to date. Directed by Zhang Disha from a script co-written with Hu Xiaoxi, and produced by industry veteran Huang Jianxin, the high-concept project previously served as the closing film of the Shanghai International Film Festival. Set across dual timelines, the narrative stars Huang Bo, Gao Ye, and Sun Yang as a trio of 2035 Chinese astronauts lost in space during a return mission, whose only lifeline is a mysterious encrypted signal linked back to a 1970 aerospace researcher played by Wu Lei.
Universal’s “Obsession” opened in fourth place, collecting $4.9 million in its weekend debut.
Enlight Pictures’ youth drama “A Part of Me” rounded out the top five, pulling in $2.7 million in its second week of release. Directed by Ma Yingxin and starring Zhang Ruonan and Jolin Jin, the contemporary feature has accumulated $21.6 million as it tracks the emotional journey of a friendship spanning two decades.
Mainland China’s overall weekend grosses reached $102.3 million, while the 2026 year-to-date revenue stands at $3.15 billion, down 33.6% from the same period in 2025.
China Box Office: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Swings to Massive $121 Million Five-Day Opening
Naman Ramachandran
Sun, August 2, 2026 at 10:55 PM PDT
2 min read
China Box Office: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Swings to Massive $121 Million Five-Day Opening
Sony Pictures’ superhero spectacle “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” swung into the top spot at the mainland China box office during the July 31–Aug. 2 weekend, generating RMB463.5 million ($68.1 million over its three-day opening frame, according to Artisan Gateway.
The tentpole project has grossed $121.3 million in the Middle Kingdom in its first five days of release. $19 million of this came from Imax, which makes it the highest-grossing Imax opening weekend in the “Spider-Man” franchise for China.
Pearl Studio’s animated fantasy feature “All Wishes Come True!” moved to second place in its third weekend, collecting $31.8 million. Directed by Mu Zhengyang, the local hit now has a cumulative total of $171.5 million since its July 18 debut. The mythologically inspired comedy follows eight mortals who band together to outwit celestial deities and claim the mantle of the Eight Immortals.
Shenzhen Film Studio’s sports comedy “Kung Fu Soccer” moved to third position in its fourth frame, adding $14.1 million. Directed by Stephen Chow, the runaway summer success has reached a cumulative haul of $318.5 million. The slapstick feature follows an underdog women’s soccer squad that incorporates gravity-defying martial arts maneuvers to compete for a championship title.
Hezhong Ruike Media’s workplace comedy “Make Zhonghe Great Again” (“Johnny Keep Walking! 2”) opened in fourth place, bringing in $8.9 million over its two-day weekend frame. Including early previews prior to its Aug. 1 launch, the satirical feature has accumulated $12.4 million. Directed by Dong Runnian and starring Bai Ke, Sun Yizhou, and Zhang Ruoyun, the sequel to the 2023 hit “Johnny Keep Walking!” continues the franchise’s lampooning of internal office politics, corporate dysfunction, and the absurdities of white-collar employment.
Universal’s “Obsession” rounded out the top five, collecting $4.7 million in its sophomore weekend. Directed by Curry Barker, the film has reached a cumulative total of $14.5 million.
Mainland China’s overall weekend grosses reached $132.3 million, while the 2026 year-to-date revenue stands at $3.39 billion, down 32% from the same period in 2025.
interesting, maybe it means the economy is getting better thru entertainment indicators. Then i can finally quit my job and become a bona fide kung fu master ™ shilling to rich kids who got cash to burn
Shaolin Soccer Spinoff Kung Fu Soccer From Stephen Chow Heads for North American Theaters
Wesley Yin-Poole
Updated Tue, June 23, 2026 at 7:14 AM PDT
1 min read
Shaolin Soccer Spinoff Kung Fu Soccer From Stephen Chow Heads for North American Theaters Credit: IGN
Key takeawaysPowered by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo is using AI to generate key points from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
- Spinoff movie Kung Fu Soccer, directed by Stephen Chow, is set for a North American theatrical release later this year, featuring the Emei Women’s Football Team using martial arts in a tournament called the Supreme Invincible Cup.
25 years after Shaolin Soccer came out, spinoff Kung Fu Soccer is confirmed to be getting a theatrical release in North America.
Written and directed by Stephen Chow, who was behind the much-loved 2001 sports martial arts movie Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Soccer will be launched internationally by Encore Films, with a release expected later this year in the hope of capitalizing on World Cup fever.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kung Fu Soccer stars the Emei Women’s Football Team, who use martial arts to help fuel their underdog run in a tournament called the Supreme Invincible Cup. Expect plenty of visual effects, as Shaolin Soccer had. Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Lay Zhang Yixing are set to star.
Chow directed and starred in the wonderful 2004 martial arts movie Kung Fu Hustle, which enjoyed critical acclaim and commercial success globally. Kung Fu Soccer is his first new movie since 2019’s The New King of Comedy, although he won’t appear in it as he has some of his previous films.
“Director Stephen Chow is widely regarded as the ‘King of Comedy’ and one of the rare filmmakers whose work has entertained audiences across cultures for decades,” Joyce Lee, managing director of Encore Films, told Variety.
“Most football films ask, ‘Can they win the match?’ A Stephen Chow film asks, ‘Can they win the match while breaking the laws of physics?’ That’s the magic of Kung Fu Soccer — a film that blends imagination, action, heart, and comedy in a way only Chow can.”
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.