Entertainment

The tech sector has seen a massive shift since the introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November last year. The AI wave has brought much trepidation for its potential in advancing education, innovation and more; but along with it comes new challenges, especially those that raise copyright infringement issues or break the law. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk looks into how AI has been misused in China and the responses.

Heng Kim Song has been the freelance editorial cartoonist

A Chinese stand-up comedian has landed himself in trouble after cracking a joke seeming to compare the People’s Liberation Army with dogs. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong finds out why people are up in arms, and if the authorities’ slew of punishment is justified.

Anime is one of Japan’s best-known global exports, and it is hardly surprising that anime has maintained its popularity in China even amid the highs and lows of China-Japan relations, not least with the two biggest releases in recent years, The First Slam Dunk and Suzume. Zaobao’s China Desk examines the appeal of anime.

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?

A Be@rbrick figure, named after auteur Stanley Kubric and first created by Japanese toy maker Tatsuhiko Akashi, can be worth thousands of dollars and finds fans from Japan to China to Singapore. Even celebrities like Jay Chou, JJ Lin, Lee Chong Wei, Z Tao, and G-Dragon are avid collectors. Chances are that you have seen these bears sporting their portly bellies without paying them much attention. In fact, these adorable and fashionable bears have become collectibles and an alternative investment. So, what makes Be@rbrick figures so highly sought after?

A comment by New Oriental’s founder Michael Yu Minhong has sparked online debate on the ideals of private entrepreneurs in China. However, amid the commotion, Yu actually has sound advice for the business community in navigating through tough times.

Consultant Ma Haotian notes that recent and past cases of celebrities getting banned for various transgressions show that morality in China can be taken to the extreme to exert control over people. He urges moderation and adjusting the so-called rules and standards of behaviour according to the times, so that people can act with more freedom and autonomy.

The Chinese film industry has released several blockbusters over the Chinese New Year period, and crowds have also returned to cinemas. However, the off-screen drama seems to be more interesting than the movies themselves, with claims of various forms of dishonest or misleading figures for ticket sales, complete with lawsuits and competition for audiences.