The red carpet belonged to some unlikely stars on Sunday morning, as around 200 dogs dressed in colorful scarves, dresses and other accessories made their grand entrance at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul to cheers from the crowd.
But behind the glamorous appearances were stories of abandoned dogs still waiting for a place to call home. Among them were senior dogs, large breeds and dogs with disabilities, which often face greater challenges finding adoptive families.
The parade was part of an adoption campaign organized by Pimfy, an online platform connecting abandoned animals with foster and adoptive families, according to news reports.
Visitors could meet the dogs in person and seek consultations on fostering or adoption. Those interested in adopting would then undergo individual consultations and screenings conducted by the rescue organizations caring for the animals, officials said.
Several celebrities also took to the red carpet alongside the dogs, including Kang Seungyoon of Winner, choreographer Lia Kim and Lia of Itzy.
"We hope this event will bring greater attention to abandoned dogs that have been waiting a long time for families and give them a chance to find loving homes," said Jang Shin-jae, CEO of Pimfy Virus, the social venture that operates Pimfy.
cjh@heraldcorp.com