- Cosplayers in Guangzhou sold lemonade made by soaking feet in lemon water at a convention
- The stunt charged about 50 yuan per cup and attracted many buyers despite hygiene concerns
- Some attendees lay on the floor to catch water dripping directly from the cosplayers’ feet
Several cosplayers were recently evicted from an anime convention in southern China for selling lemonade prepared by soaking their bare feet in plastic tubs, calling it the so-called "feet juice", the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The bizarre marketing stunt, which charged attendees roughly 50 yuan ($7 USD) per cup, attracted many people, with some of them eager to buy. Some were even seen lying on the floor beneath the cosplayers to catch water dripping directly off their feet. The act triggered widespread outrage online over hygiene and public decorum.
The incident took place during the popular Firefly Comic Convention held in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
At the event, female cosplayers sat on chairs at a stall with their bare feet submerged in large containers filled with water and sliced lemons.
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Their assistants used disposable plastic cups to scoop the lemon-infused water directly from the tubs and hand it to paying customers.
"It is for entertainment only. We do not intend to guide in an inappropriate way," a notice displayed near the cosplayer's stall read, as quoted by the report.
The Chinese trend appears to have copied an earlier event from May, where vendors at an outdoor gathering near a California anime convention sold similar "feet juice" drinks for $10 to $30 a glass.
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News of the event quickly went viral on Chinese social media platforms, sparking a wave of criticism.
As mentioned in the report, one user said, "So absurd! One party dares to sell while the other dares to buy."
"I feel sick just reading this news. Are they challenging the hospitals' infectious disease departments?" another user said.
"What's wrong with the young people in our country? Aren't they aware of public order and social norms? I suggest these cosplayers receive severe punishment," a third user said as quoted.
