Chinese netizens boycott South Korean television show Running Man for ‘insulting China’
- During an episode of the popular variety show, Taiwan was depicted as a country in its own right, a move that enraged many Chinese viewers
- It’s the latest in a string of incidents where a South Korean show or celebrity has created uproar in China
Chinese internet users are calling for a boycott of the South Korean show Running Man for “insulting” their country.
The controversy, which is being played out between the two countries on social media, was sparked on Sunday during an episode of the popular variety show.
Members of the show were playing Blue Marble, a board game that allows players to invest in real estate all over the world. Netizens spotted that China and Taiwan were placed side by side on the board, together with their flags.
Many Chinese viewers saw this as support for Taiwan’s independence and criticised the South Korean production company Urban Works Media and distributor network SBS for “insulting China”.
“I feel speechless, I will no longer watch the show,” one comment said on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media service. “You have touched a bottom line that we cannot back down [from]. I am Chinese first, before being a fan of the show.”
“Even though my happy Mondays are gone, I will not compromise in the face of major issues. Goodbye Running Man,” another said.