Satirical proposal surfaces on Threads

[Screenshot from wooramsol's Threads post]
[Screenshot from wooramsol's Threads post]

As frustration mounts over traffic disruptions caused by marathon races in central Seoul, a proposal for a "VR marathon" has gone viral online — and netizens are loving it.

On Tuesday, a Threads user posted what they described as "a marathon idea that could make everyone happy," sharing an AI-generated image to illustrate the concept.

The image showed runners wearing VR goggles and racing on treadmills, each displaying a competition bib number.

The user suggested that the electricity generated by the runners could be transmitted to public facilities, framing the activity as an eco-friendly power source.

The post was not a serious event proposal but a satirical jab at marathons that block Seoul's roads and inconvenience residents with traffic congestion and litter.

Commenters rallied behind the idea. "A new form of renewable energy — triathlon energy," one wrote. Others chimed in: "Great solution with no road closures," "If everyone runs at their nearest gym, it would also boost the local economy," "Perfect for prison inmates to generate electricity," "Should be fine as long as indoor ventilation is good," "Why do they have to run on roads at all?" and "Should participants pay an entry fee, or should they be paid? Now that's the real question."

The online buzz followed the JTBC Seoul Marathon held Sunday, which routed runners along major city roads — including a full-course stretch from Gwanghwamun Square to Olympic Park and a 10-kilometer course from Sangam World Cup Park to Yeouido Park — forcing 190 city bus routes onto temporary detours and causing widespread inconvenience for ordinary residents.

As the backlash grew, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Monday on Facebook that he "takes seriously the frustration and inconvenience citizens must have experienced," and pledged to renegotiate the course and schedule for next year's race from scratch.


jshan@heraldcorp.com