Disappearing Works and Tax Evasion Charges... The Chinese Authorities' Sharp Focus on Celebrities (Comprehensive)

Chinese Authorities Propose Entertainment Industry Regulations Including Ban on Popularity Chart Announcements
Analyzed as Response to Illegal Activities Like Tax Evasion by Some Celebrities

Famous Chinese actor Zheng Shuang was recently fined on charges of tax evasion. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Following big tech and private education, Chinese authorities have now turned their attention to the entertainment industry. Analysts suggest that the authorities, promoting the distribution-centered slogan of "common prosperity," have made entertainers?who earn substantial income and have significant influence on the public?scapegoats.

On the 29th, the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, pointed out the need for education and management of entertainers, considering the impact of their illegal activities and the influence of broadcasting programs on the public. The day before, the state-run Global Times also stated, "The idol fandom culture distorts the values of minors and endangers social governance," adding, "It can be exploited by foreign forces and threaten China's political stability."

Entertainment-related organizations also poured criticism on the entertainment industry. According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency on the same day, from the 25th to the 26th, numerous entertainment-related organizations, including the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, musicians, filmmakers, and broadcasting artists, held a symposium on "professional ethics and work style construction." During the symposium, remarks such as "One must first establish a sense of ethics to work in the arts" and "Artists should not take their words and actions lightly" were reportedly made.

On the 16th, Kris Wu (Chinese name Wu Yifan), a former member of the idol group EXO, was arrested by the public security authorities on charges of sexual assault.

This is analyzed to be a result of recent unsavory incidents involving some entertainers. On the 16th, Kris Wu (Chinese name Wu Yifan), a former member of the idol group EXO and a Canadian national, was arrested by public security on charges of sexual assault. Then, on the 27th, famous actor Zheng Shuang was fined 299 million yuan (approximately 54 billion KRW) for tax evasion.

On the 26th, reports emerged that works featuring actress Zhao Wei, who appeared in the drama "The Emperor's Daughter" and the film "Red Cliff," had disappeared from online platforms within China. Zhao Wei is known to have invested about 3.1 billion Hong Kong dollars (approximately 465.5 billion KRW) in Alibaba Pictures, a video business subsidiary of Alibaba, at the end of 2014, generating profits of around 600 billion KRW.

The Chinese authorities imposed a five-year ban on Zhao Wei's entry into the securities market to curb her stock investments, but it is reported that she continued investing in the securities market under her mother's name.

Additionally, Zhao Wei recently faced controversy again when it was highlighted that she wore a dress reminiscent of the Rising Sun Flag back in 2001.

Meanwhile, regulations on the entertainment industry have already been announced within China. On the 26th, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) introduced measures to "strengthen management of disorderly fandoms," including banning the publication of celebrity popularity charts. These measures also strictly prohibit minors from spending money to support entertainers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.