Tweet
Were Those Really North Koreans Rooting During Tuesday's Game?
6/15/2010 4:45 PM ET By Josh Alper
Were you watching the Brazil-North Korea game on Tuesday afternoon? If so, you might have been scratching your head when, just after North Korea scored a goal, the camera panned to a bunch of cheering fans and the ESPN announcer said "Whether they're actors or not, they're naturally exuberant!"
Wonder no more, fair reader.
The reference was to the fact that the Chinese goverment provided 1,000 tickets to fans, including a group of actors and musicians, who would go to South Africa and cheer on the North Korean side during their games against Brazil and Portugal. The news of these masquerading supporters has actually been out for more than a month but it caught some renewed attention with the North Koreans making their first cup appearance since 1966 on Tuesday.
There are reports of other groups of actual North Koreans roaming around the tournament, but neither the need for the fans nor their providers should come as a great surprise. It's exceedingly difficult for anyone to leave North Korea, both because of the government and because the cost of travel is well beyond the means of most citizens. China is North Korea's closest global ally which, without their own entry in this year's World Cup, makes them a natural supporter of the red-clad team.
Even if they are actors, it's not like there isn't a place for acting in the world's biggest sporting event. Just ask Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portugese star whose reaction to not being touched by opposing players would make Daniel Day-Lewis blush with envy.
Read More: Soccer
- <LI class=cmmnts>1Comments
- Say Something ยป
6/15/2010 4:45 PM ET By Josh Alper
Were you watching the Brazil-North Korea game on Tuesday afternoon? If so, you might have been scratching your head when, just after North Korea scored a goal, the camera panned to a bunch of cheering fans and the ESPN announcer said "Whether they're actors or not, they're naturally exuberant!" Wonder no more, fair reader.
The reference was to the fact that the Chinese goverment provided 1,000 tickets to fans, including a group of actors and musicians, who would go to South Africa and cheer on the North Korean side during their games against Brazil and Portugal. The news of these masquerading supporters has actually been out for more than a month but it caught some renewed attention with the North Koreans making their first cup appearance since 1966 on Tuesday.
There are reports of other groups of actual North Koreans roaming around the tournament, but neither the need for the fans nor their providers should come as a great surprise. It's exceedingly difficult for anyone to leave North Korea, both because of the government and because the cost of travel is well beyond the means of most citizens. China is North Korea's closest global ally which, without their own entry in this year's World Cup, makes them a natural supporter of the red-clad team.
Even if they are actors, it's not like there isn't a place for acting in the world's biggest sporting event. Just ask Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portugese star whose reaction to not being touched by opposing players would make Daniel Day-Lewis blush with envy.
Read More: Soccer
Comment