South Korea has robots to cheer at its baseball games
When one of South Korea's least popular baseball teams can't fill the stadiums, the country has an interesting solution: using robots to cheer for its players.
The Hanwha Eagles have only won the South Korean Championship once — and it was 15 years ago, Quartz reports. Their losing streak earned the team the nickname "Hanwha Chickens," which isn't exactly drawing fans into the seats.
For those fans who don't want to be caught actually cheering on the team, they can attend games through robot proxies. The so-called "fanbots" sit in the stadium and cheer for the Eagles, even performing the wave. Meanwhile, the fans who send the robots can control them from their smartphones.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The creepiest part? The fans who purchase the robots can place their faces on the robots, too. That way, they can be at the game without actually being at the game.
Watch a video explaining the rationale behind the robot fans below. --Meghan DeMaria
-
The Salt Path Scandal: an ‘excellent’ documentaryThe Week Recommends Sky film dives back into the literary controversy and reveals a ‘wealth of new details’
-
AI griefbots create a computerized afterlifeUnder the Radar Some say the machines help people mourn; others are skeptical
-
Sudoku hard: December 17, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
2 MLB pitchers charged with rigging throws for betsSpeed Read Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted
-
FBI nabs dozens in alleged NBA gambling ringSpeed Read Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier are among 34 people indicted in connection with federal gambling investigations
-
Trump orders NFL team to change name, or elseSpeed Read The president wants the Washington Commanders to change its name back to the 'Redskins'
-
Thunder beat Pacers to clinch NBA FinalsSpeed Read Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals
-
MLB lifts ban on Pete Rose, other dead playersspeed read 16 deceased players banned for gambling and other scandals can now be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
-
Canada beats US in charged 4 Nations hockey finalSpeed Read 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted after the game
-
Eagles trounce Chiefs in Super Bowl LIXspeed read The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22
-
Indian teen is youngest world chess championSpeed Read Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, unseated China's Ding Liren
