Source: AI
TikTok, a short video platform that enjoys massive popularity among the young Chinese generation, has suddenly blocked a large number of South Korean celebrities' accounts, sparking controversy. According to Korean Wave fans in China on the July 14th, the official accounts of many South Korean celebrities are not accessible from the Chinese version of TikTok. Currently, the following South Korean celebrities have been blocked: singers Twice, Rain, Mamamoo, IZ*ONE, Sunmi, Hyuna, Kim Hee-chul and actor Ji Chang-wookwho.
Popular South Korean celebrities have millions of followers on TikTok. Currently, only the names of South Korean celebrities' accounts remain on TikTok, they don’t even have profile picture. TikTok has not provide an reason for the purging of South Korean celebrities. An official only mentioned, "In general, when an account is blocked, it is when a report is received that there is a problem with the content uploaded.”
While Chinese fans are also puzzled by the sudden blocking of South Korean celebrity accounts, analysts in China say that this may have occurred for "technical reasons." It may have occurred during the process of of purging accounts across the country for internet control, and is not related to China’s current sanctions against all South Korean cultural content: K-drama, K-movies, K-pop.
With more active use of Internet platforms such as Theuin in the aftermath of the Corona 19, the Chinese government has recently been tightening the reins of control on Internet platforms under the pretext of "low-quality content" or "excessive commerciality." In this regard, some analysts say that most of the accounts operated by foreigners living overseas against Chinese have been suspended in order to strengthen the management of the "Internet real-name system." In fact, most Chinese smartphone applications are required to be linked to real-name registered smartphones registered in China for post-control purposes
A Chinese diplomatic source said, "It seems unlikely that the high level Communist Party Members issued the order, at a time when China has made various friendly gestures to South Korea amid a major improvement in Seoul-Beijing relations, including President Xi Jinping's planned visit to Seoul." However, some complain that blocking South Korean accounts is not welcome without any explanation, given that South Korean celebrities have been communicating with fans through Internet platforms such as TikTok due to China’s economic sanctions on South Korean cultural content.
Source: http://www.mhns.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=412392
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