China-made shows wary of inviting South Korean stars
BEIJING: As tension escalates over South Korea’s plans to deploy a new missile defence system from the US, producers of TV shows in China are wary of inviting the participation of South Korean stars.
Streaming portals based in China have also yanked off South Korean dramas. But producers in China grudgingly admit that productions from South Korea are often of a higher quality.
“Compared to our TV series, South Korean shows have higher production quality. From cinematography to music, many of them are on the same level as films. Each frame is a pretty poster,” admitted a fan of TV shows Stephanie Shi.
Zhang Hongsheng, director of the Communication University of China’s Culture-economy Research Institute, reckons that South Korean TV shows have been successful because they provide a sense of participation, reflect reality and are also entertaining.
In keeping with the unspoken ban on stars from South Korea, producers of shows in China have abruptly altered their show formats.
The Chinese version of popular celebrity game show Running Man, which is now in its fifth season, changed its title to Keep Running.
I am a Singer, also in its fifth season this year, is now known simply as Singer.
Some Sina Weibo users have posted that while they love watching South Korean TV series, they understand and support the removal.
Yet not all viewers are as optimistic. Limei (pseudonym) said she feels that the recent antiSouth Korean cultural movement is a rather unintelligent move.
In a post on her WeChat Moment page, Limei stated that in her opinion people who are boycotting South Korean culture are being somewhat hypocritical, since the US is the real motivator behind the missile deal.
As to the impact the current situation will have on China’s TV industry, Zhang said that it shouldn’t end up causing too much trouble.
“Original Chinese programmes have performed pretty well recently,” Zhang said.
“Additionally, China’s TV show producers are better skilled than before… Now that there are fewer South Korean shows available for import, that may inspire them to be more creative.”