Photoshopped seat belts on hit Chinese variety show draw warning from traffic authorities
Viral clips from the May 29 episode of This is My Adventure 2 show digitally added seat belts overlaid on members of popular Chinese boy band Teens in Times (TNT) and other celebrities as they ride in a minibus.
Viral clips from the first episode of This is My Adventure 2 show what appear to be digitally added seat belts on celebrities riding in a minibus. (Image: Weibo/Zhao Pu)
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BEIJING: A popular Chinese variety show has found itself at the centre of controversy after eagle-eyed viewers spotted photoshopped seatbelts on celebrities, prompting traffic authorities to weigh in on road safety.
The first episode of This is My Adventure 2, which aired on May 29, featured the seven members of popular Chinese boy band Teens in Times (TNT) and four hosts riding in a minibus.
While everyone appeared to be buckled up, viewers swiftly noticed that some of the seat belts had clearly been digitally added in post-production. In one particularly obvious edit, TNT member Ding Chengxin’s seat belt moves with his body as he turns to speak to someone seated behind him.
The clip quickly went viral on Chinese social media. On microblogging platform Weibo, the hashtag “a car’s seat belts were photoshopped in” had amassed more than 97 million views as of Thursday (Jun 4).
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“Such (photoshopping) skills. Even if you don’t have sharp eyes, it is noticeable,” one Weibo user quipped.
Another user remarked: “I think you should just not photoshop (seat belts in post-production), it’s really awkward when you’re called out by viewers.”
Netizens also pointed out that another hit Chinese variety show, Keep Running – which first aired in 2014 and is now in its 14th season – reportedly also photoshopped seat belts on its guests in post-production.
TNT is one of China’s most popular boy bands, with a combined following of more than 16 million across Weibo and Xiaohongshu. Meanwhile, This is My Adventure, now in its second season, has garnered strong audience interest, according to streaming platform Youku.
The show’s producers had not publicly commented on the controversy as of Thursday.
The gaffe has also caught the eye of Chinese traffic authorities.
“Safety is not about putting on a show for others, nor should it be a matter of self-deception!” China’s traffic management bureau, under the Ministry of Public Security, said in a Weibo post on Monday.
China’s traffic laws require drivers and passengers to wear their seat belts while a vehicle is in motion. Offenders can be fined, with penalties varying across local jurisdictions but generally amounting to tens of yuan.
It added that celebrities should “strictly lead by example in matters of public interest and safety, noting that their influence “should not be underestimated” given their “considerable” number of fans and viewers.
In a follow-up post on Tuesday, the traffic management bureau once again reminded the public to fasten their seat belts while riding or driving.
“Scenes can be shot again, but life doesn’t have a second take. Fastening your seat belt when getting into a vehicle is the real ‘one-take wonder’,” it said.
Source: CNA/lk(ws)
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