Felix, Son Heung-min, and Lee Kang-in Rule the Pitch in New Adidas World Cup Campaign!
- lewishooper1
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
K-pop meets sports royalty as Stray Kids' Felix joins Messi, Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Bad Bunny in a legendary global line-up. Let's take a closer look!
German sports company Adidas has officially launched its 'PASS THE FLAME' pictorial collection ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This massive global campaign has gained K-pop and K-culture fans' attention, as Adidas has included three of Korea's most famous stars within its ad. This includes football legend Son Heung-min, Stray Kid's Felix, and Lee Kang-in.
What This Means for K-Stars & Korea
For Korea and Korean stars, seeing leading K-idols standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the world's most famous football legends goes to prove that Korean entertainers and Korea are no longer just home-based talents; they are, in fact, now globally recognized. For Korea and K-stars, this means that working in some of the world's biggest markets and on the FIFA World Cup 2026 Adidas campaign, their image will be viewed by billions throughout the world. Korea's soft power has reached corners of the world that, at one time, Korea could only have dreamed of.
Campaign Visuals and Dress Code
The Adidas campaign is visually stunning. They have managed to add a subtle level of nostalgia, while making the images feel slightly retro, which the Dojeon Media team really loves. For us, it reminds us of a 90s street style that many of us grew up with, although at the same time, pairing classic World Cup jerseys and tracksuits. The most iconic being the Firebird tracksuit paired with classic lifestyle footwear like the Samba and Handball Spezial, which many of us can remember!
K-Fan Review
For K-pop and K-culture fans, some of them online have been losing their minds over this latest line-up by Adidas. Some fans have loved the fact that Felix is being named a "cheer captain" for this massive Adidas rollout. For the Dojeon Media team, his striking blonde visuals stand out perfectly next to the sports stars, making fans incredibly proud of his immense global reach, which at one point in time could have only been possible from within Korea.
Football and Culture
The official Adidas pictorials really do bridge the gap between how the passion is felt in the stadium and how it is felt in everyday life, thanks to the awesome mix of sports heritage and musical influences. By placing famous Korean faces and global icons like Bad Bunny alongside pitch icons like Jude Bellingham, this creates a powerful, unified message of global fandom.
For football culture, this is not the first time that they have welcomed Korean idols, as Jungkook performed previously at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and Korean football players have also played for global teams throughout the years.
Final Thoughts
The Dojeon Media team thinks that this latest Adidas campaign has captured the split between some of football's biggest names and K-stars really well. Adidas has shown that K-stars are now globally recognized and here to stay. We cannot wait to watch the FIFA World Cup halftime show later this year!