Shanghai residents aged 6 to 11 will be vaccinated against COVID19 beginning at 8 p.m. on Thursday...
Month: October 2021
On October 25, 2022, the State Council issued the official China public holidays schedule for 2022 via...
As a result of the dual pressures of external import and internal resurgences of COVID19, Beijing will...
Since two tourists from Shanghai were discovered COVID-19 positive on October 16 in Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province,...
Alipay scams are becoming increasingly common, with fraudsters finding new ways to exploit app features to deceive...
Vaccine booster shots for fully vaccinated residents are now available in Guangzhou’s Liwan, Haizhu, and Zengcheng districts....
China is facing new challenges after 7 travelers on the same trip tested positive in the city...
Yunnan Province, a well-known travel destination in China, has begun to offer booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines...
In accordance with the needs of epidemic prevention and control, China Southern Airlines will suspend the transportation...
Although it is not available in China, Netflix’s global sensation Squid Game has already amassed a massive fan base in the country, with fans circumventing strict internet controls to watch the show and purchasing merchandise such as its unique outfits. However, it is already a hit in cities such as Shanghai, where a crowd gathered on Tuesday at an eatery selling dalgona – the crisp sugar candy featured in one episode – with customers gathering to take photos at its Squid Game-themed sign. “When I first started watching, people were sending jokes about the show in group chats,” a customer named Li told AFP. “It’s rather fast-paced and thus quite thrilling,” the series’ video producer said. After purchasing the candy, Li and his friend filmed their attempt at a show challenge in which contestants attempt to cut shapes from the snack without cracking it. Squid Game follows a group of society’s most marginalized and indebted members as they are forced to compete in a series of children’s games until all but one participant dies. The “winner” will receive US$38 million. As the show grew in popularity around the world, China’s nimble manufacturers raced to meet the demand, with products such as the bright pink uniforms and eerie masks worn by anonymous guards appearing on the giant online shopping platform Taobao. Peng Xiuyang, a vendor, told AFP that demand for Squid Game merchandise had increased his sales by around 30%. When a customer asked if he sold the masks – a plain black full-faced covering printed with squares, triangles, or circles – he had never heard of the show. But now, vendors like him, as well as plastics manufacturers in Yiwu’s eastern hub, are scrambling to meet demand from both domestic and international buyers. “Our customers are those who have seen the series and want to get in on the action,” he added. With Halloween approaching, the spine-chilling masks have become his most popular item. ILLICIT DISTRIBUTION Despite the lack of official availability, Chinese audiences have found ways to watch the show, including easily accessible unofficial streaming sites and file-sharing. ...
