While'Friends: Reunion', a special episode of the American drama'Friends', was aired, China broadcasted it with the appearances of several singers including BTS, which caused controversy in their own country.
On the 27th (local time), the leading American celebrity variety said, "IQiyi, Alibaba's Youku, Tencent Video, and other major Chinese streaming platforms released'Friends: Reunion' locally, but as a double guest. The appearance of BTS, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, LGBTQ and homosexuality-related scenes, piss mention scenes, and Matt LeBlanc appearing in underwear were deleted for a total of 6 minutes," he reported.
It seems that China has self-censored the amount of appearances by applying narrow standards to the singers who appeared in'Friends: Reunion'.
After receiving the'Van Flint Award' for contributing to the relationship between Korea and the United States in October last year, BTS shared their impressions of the award to the effect that "(due to June 25) Korea and the United States suffered a trial together."
Since then, the Chinese media and some netizens have made a ridiculous criticism that they insulted China by not commenting on the sacrifice of the Chinese military.
Lady Gaga met Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in 2016 and posted a picture of her shaking hands on social media, and was plagued by the eviction of "Let's stop China activities."
Justin Bieber was beaten up in Japan in 2014 when he visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo to commemorate the casualties of World War II casualties.
However, the self-censorship of'Friends: Reunion' is an atmosphere that even Chinese netizens cannot agree. Variety said that Chinese netizens left a post on Weibo saying, "Are we going back to the isolated Qing dynasty? We are disconnected from other countries in the world."
The drama'Friends', which was broadcast from 1994 to 2004 and was loved around the world, attracted a lot of attention by producing a special broadcast with major cast members in the last 17 years.
(SBS Entertainment News reporter Kim Ji-hye)