Newcastle United, a Premier League club, is facing criticism across East Asia for a promotional video of their uniform that highlights a lack of historical awareness. The content, which contains scenes reminiscent of the Rising Sun Flag, has sparked an international controversy, and some public opinion in Japan has even protested the apology itself.
The controversy began with a promotional video for the 2025-2026 season's third uniform that Newcastle released last week. The video, posted on official social media channels, featured a fan, who appeared to be Japanese, waving a flag with the words 'NUFC JAPAN.' This flag received criticism for its black-and-white radial design, which evokes the Rising Sun Flag associated with Japanese imperialism. The Rising Sun Flag was a military flag used by Japan during World War II in its invasive wars in Asia, and it is an extremely sensitive symbol in countries that suffered, including Korea, China, and Singapore.
As criticism intensified, Newcastle quickly issued an apology. The club stated, 'The promotional video for the new uniform included scenes that could cause discomfort to some fans. We express our regret, have deleted the video, and have replaced it with a revised version.' The problematic scenes were subsequently removed from all platforms and replaced with an edited video.
The repercussions did not settle easily. The Sun noted, 'They used the Rising Sun Flag, which symbolizes the Japanese imperial army, in a uniform promotion. This flag is banned in countries like Korea, China, Singapore, and Russia, and Newcastle happens to have pre-season tours scheduled in Korea and Singapore.' The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also reported, 'The video featuring singer Sam Fender included a pattern resembling the Rising Sun Flag based on the club's colors, and thus the video was deleted from all social media.'
There was also strong backlash in Korea. Professor Seo Kyung-duk from Sungshin Women's University pointed out on his social media, 'The unedited video included scenes of fans waving flags resembling the Rising Sun Flag, which is clearly a negligence stemming from a lack of historical understanding.'
The Korea Professional Football League (KPFL) stated, 'This scene was a clear mistake,' adding, 'However, since the club quickly deleted the video and issued an apology, it is unlikely to affect the ongoing Coupang Play series.'
Newcastle is scheduled to play a pre-season friendly match against Team K League at the Suwon World Cup Stadium on July 30 and against Tottenham Hotspur at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 3. Both matches have already sold out, and interest from fans in Korea remains high. However, given the sensitive historical issues raised, public opinion surrounding the pre-season schedule has clearly shown fractures.
Additionally, Newcastle is currently pushing to sign 18-year-old winger Park Seung-su from Suwon Samsung. The club, which is simultaneously targeting the Asian market and acquiring promising youth players, seems to be facing backlash from public opinion due to a lack of historical awareness.
The situation became more complicated due to reactions within Japan. Japanese soccer media outlets like Gekisaka and Football Channel reported Newcastle's apology while also conveying the dissatisfaction of local fans. Japanese internet users responded with mocking comments such as, 'Do all radial patterns look like the Rising Sun Flag?' and 'This is just a simple design; it seems like the Rising Sun Flag allergy began in 2011.'
Some criticized, 'Newcastle is also at fault. Unnecessary apologies imply there is no need for a Japan tour,' and even a historically distorted statement claiming 'Joseon was not a colony but part of Japan' rose to the top comments, worsening the situation.
Newcastle now faces the reality that this incident cannot simply be dismissed as a minor content mistake. One promotional video has touched on the historical awareness of various Asian countries, and the club's sincere response and future actions are expected to be crucial for restoring trust with fans.
Under the outlines of the pre-season schedule, promising player acquisitions, and brand expansion plans, what has been revealed from a single scene is the 'historical sensitivity' that a global club must possess.
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