Ryu Young-Suk/Yonhap, via Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea — As a handful of the world’s sports leagues inch back to life, they have sought ways to maintain a bit of the old pre-pandemic festivity in stadiums devoid of spectators.
One popular choice, from Germany’s top soccer league to professional baseball in Taiwan, has been to replace fans with figures that are not subject to social distancing rules: cardboard cutouts depicting hometown supporters holding signs or smiling.
Over the weekend, a soccer team in South Korea opted to fill seats with something a little more lifelike — to its deep embarrassment.