Winter Olympics: backlash in China after popular panda mascot Bing Dwen Dwen speaks in deep male voice
- The popularity of the panda mascot has seen sales of souvenirs go through the roof and resulted in shortages
- Fans were outraged when a deep-voiced male reporter costumed as Bing Dwen Dwen asked questions of an athlete on camera
Fans cried “NO!” after Bing Dwen Dwen, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic mascot, spoke in a deep male voice.
However, the fondness took a downturn after the mascot spoke with an “uncle voice” and a northeastern Chinese accent in a programme aired on February 8 by state broadcaster CCTV.
It happened during an interview with Chinese freeskier Yang Shuorui, when the reporter costumed as Bing Dwen Dwen posed questions and eventually removed the inflated suit to reveal his face.
“It’s a shock comparing the image of Bing Dwen Dwen with the voice,” commented one person on Weibo. “Luckily I haven’t bought it yet, otherwise I really can’t face it.”
“People don’t want to know that when they hug Bing Dwen Dwen, they’re holding a strange man,” another outraged person commented.