Global fast-food chain Shake Shack is facing significant criticism after distributing World Cup merchandise featuring an inaccurately depicted South Korean flag at its Abu Dhabi branch in the United Arab Emirates.
The issue gained widespread attention this Tuesday when Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women’s University publicized a photo on social media. The image, provided by a South Korean resident in Abu Dhabi, showcased an oversized foam finger adorned with various national flags, including the erroneous South Korean one.
This particular promotional item, identified as a foam finger, proudly displays the national flags of the 48 teams that have qualified for the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Crucially, the depiction of the South Korean national flag in Professor Seo’s shared photo exhibits significant inaccuracies. The iconic red-and-blue taegeuk symbol at its core is incorrectly rendered, and conspicuously absent are the four black trigrams traditionally placed at each corner of the flag.
This incident is particularly sensitive as Shake Shack operates 36 locations across South Korea and is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary in the country.
Professor Seo expressed his strong disapproval, stating, “This is a mistake that a global franchise should not be making.” He further emphasized the responsibility of international corporations, adding, “As a global company, it should at least conduct basic research into the countries and markets in which it operates its business,” and urged the franchise to immediately cease distribution of the offensive merchandise.
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