Internet Celebrity

The influencer-in-chief: How Trump tamed the social media beast

Extensive free speech protections and the advent of the internet and social media have rendered the US fertile ground for the rise of influencer leaders, argues academic Fei-ling Wang. Leading the charge is US President Donald Trump, says Wang, who tells us more about the recent political trend.

Fei-Ling Wang

No job, no problem? The rise of China’s resignation bloggers

There has recently been a rise in the number of “resignation bloggers” — content creators who document their resignation and subsequent unemployment — on social media. Lianhe Zaobao’s Zhang Guanghui discusses the phenomenon and its implications.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

[Video] China’s micro-dramas: Big views, big money, big concerns

In just minutes, a CEO falls for his employee, a beggar turns into a billionaire and a mother-in-law demands a breakup. Welcome to the high-stakes, whirlwind world of China’s micro-dramas. With their unique production approach and opportunities for talent, could micro-dramas revolutionise the entertainment industry? ThinkChina’s Yi Jina explores this billion-dollar industry in China. 

Yi Jina

[Video] #Chinatravel vlogs: Can foreign vloggers change how the West sees China?

Garnering millions of views on social media, #Chinatravel vlogs by foreign creators are presenting an often positive image of China to the world, to the point where some critics say the depictions are verging on propaganda. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina explores the issue.

Yi Jina

Xiaohongshu's push to make users spend on its platform

Launched in 2013 as a place for users to share things like travel and beauty tips, and acting as a conduit for lifestyle reviews, Xiaohongshu is again reshuffling its e-commerce ventures, hoping to transform into an e-commerce platform.

Caixin Global

[Video] China's Harbin pampering visitors to win tourism battle

Harbin has seen an explosion of tourists this Chinese New Year season, and it is pulling out all the stops to welcome them, sometimes to the chagrin of locals. However, can this wave of tourism be sustained, and improve Harbin's economy? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Daryl Lim takes a trip to China's land of snow and ice.

Daryl Lim

[Video] Livestreamers take to Shenzhen's pedestrian street to make it big

As singers, dancers and even those just chit-chatting fight to stand out in the highly saturated livestream industry to get traffic and monetary contributions from their viewers, Dongmen Pedestrian Street in Shenzhen has become the place to be. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Daryl Lim speaks to livestreamers in Dongmen to get a feel of the industry and what it takes to survive.

Daryl Lim

How China's 'lipstick king' lost 63,000 livestream followers overnight

A livestreamer's comments over the cost of an eyebrow pencil recently brewed a public opinion storm in China. While the incident may be stirred by the livestreamer's insensitive comments, it speaks to the public's deeper discontent with the grim economic outlook and employment prospects. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Chen Jing tells us more.

Chen Jing

When a Chinese teapot wants to 'escape from the British Museum'

A short video series featuring Chinese artefacts in the British Museum has gone viral on social media in China, with viewers being moved by the story of a teapot trying to go home to China. But even as critics highlight the heavy sentiment and patriotism in the series, it has prompted calls by China and other countries for the British Museum to return artefacts to their rightful owners.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

Why are Chinese internet stars pretending to be Russian?

​Finding online fame in China could be as simple as being a foreigner praising Chinese culture and food, as some would believe. This has led to a number of Chinese impersonators using deepfake AI to gain views on social media platforms. Lianhe Zaobao's China Desk tells us more about this phenomenon.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

China's local officials doing cosplay to jumpstart tourism

China's local tourism chiefs have been dressing up in elaborate costumes and starring in high-quality promotional videos to find online fame to drive tourism in their respective regions. However, netizens observe that not all of them are doing it right, or for the right reasons, and the state media has also spoken against the trend.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

China's crackdown on fake and staged short videos

With the deluge of short-form videos on various apps and platforms, the line between fact and fiction can be blurred, with some content creators staging videos just to get views and stir up emotions. To combat this, Douyin has come up with a new rule that creators have to label staged videos as such. How effective will this be in preventing creators from going overboard in generating views?

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao