LG Phone Giveaway Turns Into Riot, After Vouchers Attached To Helium Balloons Are Shot Down

An LG promotional phone giveaway in Korea descended into a riot which saw 20 Koreans injured as they attempted to pick up a free handset.

LG has now canceled all of its future publicity stunts, after their original idea was ambushed by bargain-seekers.

The originally plan was to release 100 helium filled balloons into the air, each of which was filled with a voucher that would allow those who caught it to pick up their new smartphone, the G2, worth $852.54.

They took to social media in order to promote the event, and they even invited individuals to come and watch the launch of the balloons, and then asking them to try and grab the vouchers as they left.

However, some clever people decided that there was actually quite an easy way to collect the vouchers without tracking them. And all they needed was either a B.B gun, knife on a stick, various other tools and two fast feet to get them.

When the balloons were released they then attacked them in unison, and then in the scrum that followed, around 20 people were injured.

A blogger in the crowd confirmed that some were spotted using BB guns to shoot down the balloons, and that there was actually on 20 security guards in attendance who weren’t able to hold back the gathering. The injuries were so severe that some were actually admitted to hospital.

They then added, “LG should have placed more security personnel as the event was already promoted via social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and leading portals.”

LG revealed that they would be compensating those who were injured in the melee, and confirmed that they’d had difficulty in controlling the crowd. LG then added, “We canceled events offering free G2 smartphones that had been scheduled in major cities nationwide, including Busan, due to safety concerns.”

[Image via LGEPR/Wikimedia]