Shanghai couples seeking Valentine’s Day cinema tickets foiled by bitter singles
Thanks to a crowdfunding campaign, no two adjacent seats were available in the theatre
Couples looking to enjoy a romantic Valentine’s Day movie date at one Chinese cinema will be out of luck this Friday, thanks to a group of sly singles who have bought up all the odd-numbered seats.
According to the Shanghai Morning Post, a group of internet users collaborated via a crowdfunding website to reserve every other seat at a Valentine’s night showing of Beijing Love Story at a movie theatre in the city’s Xintiandi shopping complex.
A graphic published by the paper shows how the group accomplished their mission, with every other ticket successfully purchased by the singles so that no two adjacent seats are available.
“Want to see a movie on Valentine’s Day?” read an online message by the stunt organiser, who is known on the internet by the initials "UP". “Sorry, you’ll have to sit separately. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Give us singles a chance.”
"UP" described himself to the Shanghai Morning Post as a "computer nerd" who broke up with his girlfriend last year. The stunt was surprisingly difficult to pull off, he said.