BBC Homepage
  • Skip to content
  • Accessibility Help
  • Your account
  • Notifications
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • More menu
More menu
Search BBC
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
Close menu
BBC News
Menu
  • Home
  • InDepth
  • Israel-Gaza war
  • War in Ukraine
  • Climate
  • UK
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Culture
More
  • Tech
  • Science
  • Health
  • Family & Education
  • In Pictures
  • Newsbeat
  • BBC Verify
  • Disability
  • BBC Trending

World Cup TV kiss sparks social media debate in China

  • Published
    4 July 2018
Share page
About sharing
Jeon Gwang-ryeol being kissed by a jubilant Russian fan during live TV broadcastImage source, MBN
Image caption,

Jeon Gwang-ryeol being kissed by a jubilant Russian fan during live TV broadcast

ByPaul Harrison, Kerry Allen and Tae-jun Kang
BBC News and BBC Monitoring

Social media users in China are debating whether a male South Korean reporter being kissed by female fans during the World Cup is "sexual harassment".

The video clip shows Jeon Gwang-ryeol, a MBN (a South Korean TV channel) reporter broadcasting in Russia on 28 June, being kissed on the cheek twice by female Russian fans.

The reporter tried to laugh the kisses off but looked embarrassed after the incident which occurred days after other supporters were criticised for trying to kiss a female reporter live on TV.

A debate about the incident emerged on Weibo, external, China's largest social networking site, with Weibo users asking why the actions of some Russian female fans were not being criticised in the same way as their male counterparts.

You might also like:

  • Swedes reject racism after group stage win

  • Is football still sexist?

  • Footballer's hair 'too wild' for Iranian TV

"It is a very sharp contrast with the previous news," one Weibo user said.

"Why is this not sexual harassment?" asked another, whose comment received hundreds of likes.

"If it's a good looking person (kissing), it's not called sexual harassment," one person wrote sarcastically.

Other users "called for equality between men and women" and said that the response to this incident shows that inequalities still exist.

Some users also had a problem with the media using the term "beauties" when referring to the women.

Jeon Gwang-ryeol being kissed by another Russian fan during live TV broadcastImage source, MBN
Image caption,

Another fan kissed the reporter seconds after the first on-air peck

While the kiss was a subject of debate in China, it failed to draw much attention in South Korea where only MBN and its affiliated media outlets covered the story.

However one South Korean Twitter did join the discussion posting: "Regardless of your gender, you get sexually harassed, external. An MBN journalist went to Russia to cover the World Cup and he was sexually harassed by two women."

In the last few months stories about sexual assault have been widely discussed on Weibo with many people accusing the authorities of not taking it seriously.

Last week a video, stressing that "men and women, young and old" can all be subjected to sexual assault, went viral and sparked another debate on social media.

Top stories

  • Live. 

    Palestinians begin returning to Gaza's north as Netanyahu thanks Trump for securing ceasefire

    • 10274 viewing10k viewing
  • Live. 

    Massive blast at Tennessee explosives plant leaves several dead and others missing

    • 14193 viewing14k viewing
  • Thousands line streets for Ricky Hatton's funeral

    • Published
      1 hour ago

More to explore

  • What to know about the charges against Letitia James in the US

    Letitia James gestures with her finger as she speaks.
  • How Trump secured a Gaza breakthrough which eluded Biden

    Trump is on the left with his back to the camera, looking right towards Netanyahu who is also with his back to the lens, looking left towards Trump. Both men have dark suits and white shirts
  • Jeremy Bowen: There's now a realistic chance of ending the war - but it's not over yet

    Trump image in frame showing Jeremy Bowen
  • What we know about the Gaza ceasefire agreement

    A plume of smoke above Gaza.
  • Stop expecting perfection from us - top referee

    • Attribution
      Sport
    Anthony Taylor
  • Huge buzz but a big gamble: Battlefield 6 takes aim at Call of Duty

    Screenshot from Battlefield 6 shows a female sniper resting her cheek on the stock of a long-range rifle as she looks down its scope. There is a look of concentration on her face, which is flecked with black dust.
  • Tech billionaires seem to be doom prepping. Should we all be worried?

    Mark Zuckerberg's eyes looking worried
  • Weekly quiz: What did Queen Camilla say about Jilly Cooper?

    Jilly Cooper listening to Queen Camilla telling a story
  • The Upbeat newsletter: Start your week on a high with uplifting stories delivered to your inbox

    A graphic of a wave in the colours of yellow, amber and orange against a pink sky
loading elsewhere stories

Most read

  1. 1

    Thousands line streets for Ricky Hatton's funeral

  2. 2

    Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize

  3. 3

    Gregg Wallace claims BBC caused him 'distress and harassment'

  4. 4

    Melania Trump says Putin responded to her pleas about Ukrainian children

  5. 5

    Trump threatens to pull out of planned Xi meeting

  6. 6

    Tech billionaires seem to be doom prepping. Should we all be worried?

  7. 7

    Actress Alex Kingston reveals womb cancer diagnosis

  8. 8

    Man guilty of threatening to kill Nigel Farage

  9. 9

    Green turtle bounces back from brink in conservation 'win'

  10. 10

    Life sentence for man who murdered Syrian refugee

BBC News Services

  • On your mobile
  • On smart speakers
  • Get news alerts
  • Contact BBC News

The Celebrity Traitors

  • An all-star cast enters the ultimate game of deceit

    • Attribution
      iPlayer

    Added to Watchlist
    The Celebrity Traitors has been added to your iPlayer Watchlist.
    The Celebrity Traitors
  • All the betrayal and drama unpacked

    • Attribution
      iPlayer

    Added to Watchlist
    The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked has been added to your iPlayer Watchlist.
    The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked
  • Meet the Celebrity Traitors as the mind games begin

    • Attribution
      iPlayer

    Added to Watchlist
    The Celebrity Traitors has been added to your iPlayer Watchlist.
    The Celebrity Traitors
  • A treacherously good version of a pop classic

    • Attribution
      iPlayer

    Added to Watchlist
    BBC Proms has been added to your iPlayer Watchlist.
    BBC Proms 2025: Britney Spears
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • Terms of Use
  • About the BBC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Accessibility Help
  • Parental Guidance
  • Contact the BBC
  • Make an editorial complaint
  • BBC emails for you

Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.