K-pop girl group Rescene is bridging the gap between music and sports in a new entertainment program titled Rescene’s Man City Attack!
on Straitstimes. The spin-off series, which was released on July 14, captures an unexpected intersection of football and K-pop following the group’s halftime performance at the 2026 Coupang Play Series.
K-Pop Group Rescene Teams Up with Manchester City Stars for Coupang Play Variety Show
The annual event, celebrating its fifth anniversary, featured a showdown between Manchester City and Atlético Madrid at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul. The match on August 9 marked the final game of the series and included South Korean football star Lee Kang-in’s debut with Atlético Madrid, according to Korea JoongAng Daily. Rescene’s performance during the event’s halftime directly sparked the subsequent collaboration.
Close Coaching and a Special Five-on-Four Match
The entertainment program features four major Manchester City players: Rúben Dias, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Nico González. Throughout the show, these world-class athletes trade their usual competitive pitch dynamic to provide close coaching sessions for the quintet, instructing the members in fundamental football techniques such as juggling, kicking, and shooting.
The mentorship culminates in a special five-on-four match where the K-pop stars and the football players go head-to-head, igniting a playful competitive spirit on the field. The interactions also generated significant buzz online, notably drawing a public response from Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who left a comment saying Well done
after seeing photos of the encounter on social media.
Cultural Exchange and Musical Collaboration
Beyond athletic training, the collaboration blends music and cultural exchanges. Rescene prepared a special rearranged performance of their song Love Attack
—originally released in August 2024 as part of their first EP, Scenedrome
—specifically adapted for the Manchester City players.
The members also passed on their signature catchphrases and memes to the football stars, creating cheerful tiki-taka
interactions that crossed language and cultural barriers. The lighthearted chemistry during filming reportedly led to conversations touching on invitations to visit Manchester, United Kingdom.
Coupang Play’s Growing Sports-Variety Lineup
The new program continues Coupang Play’s broader tradition of blending sports with South Korean variety programming. Launched in 2022, the annual Coupang Play Series brings leading European clubs to South Korea for preseason exhibition matches, while also serving as a platform to highlight international sports stars off the pitch.
The streaming service has previously paired football stars with entertainment figures in earlier projects. In 2023, Blackpink’s Jisoo appeared in a program alongside Korea JoongAng Daily. Additionally, Tottenham Hotspur players Son Heung-min, Ben Davies, and Micky van de Ven have made appearances on other streamer programs including Office Workers
and Sindorim Morning Soccer Club,
which was produced in collaboration with the cast of SNL Korea.
Rescene debuted in March 2024 under The Muze Entertainment with Re:Scene
and consists of five members: Zena, May, Liv, Minami, and Woni. Their latest music release arrived on July 8 as a digital single featuring a remake of KARA’s 2008 hit song Pretty Girl.
Rescene’s Man City Attack!
is available to both Coupang Wow members and general users free of charge.
