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Participants of the honeycomb toffee game are pictured at the Korean Cultural Center, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, October 12. Picture: REUTERS/VIDHYAA CHANDRAMOHAN
Participants of the honeycomb toffee game are pictured at the Korean Cultural Center, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, October 12. Picture: REUTERS/VIDHYAA CHANDRAMOHAN

Bengaluru — White slip-on shoes are becoming a hot commodity thanks to the wildly popular South Korean survival drama “Squid Game”, with sneaker maker VF Corp reporting a small increase in demand for its Vans brand.

The series, which became a global sensation and the number one programme on Netflix, shows hundreds of cash-strapped players competing in hyperviolent games, sporting shoes resembling Vans’ all-white slip-ons.

“We saw a nice spike — well, I'd call it a small spike, but I'll promise this is not a damned annual event,” VF CFO Matt Puckett said on Friday, adding that the apparel maker would use this moment to build on Vans’ connection to pop culture.

VF Corp missed Wall Street estimates for quarterly revenue and profit on Friday due to global supply chain disruptions and production shortfalls in Vietnam.

The “Made in Korea” green tracksuits and pink boiler suits worn by characters in the show have proven a pre-Halloween bright spot for the South Korean garment industry struggling during the health crisis.

Reuters

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