The issue points to a change in Chinese society: the public is increasingly labeling pop groups like the Panda Boys, as the seven were called, as unethical. Yet it is doubtful whether a higher moral standard is the only reason for the early dismantling. This fits in with the strategy of the Communist Party, which wants to combat the idolatry of cultural idols – especially minors.
The Panda Boys made their debut on August 21 in the metropolis of Chengdu. After the performance, users went wild on the social platform Weibo. “Children of school age should go to school,” wrote one of the many critical Chinese. The oldest of the seven was eleven years old, the youngest seven.
De agent van de Panda Boys, Asia Starry Sky Group, tried to calm the mood by stating that he would not “educate” the boys for his own financial gain. In addition, they went to school in the mornings. Instead, it wanted to do “something meaningful” for “children who love to sing and dance”.
Despite a sudden name change – the Panda Boys became the ‘Panda Art Group for Kids’ – the wave of criticism did not stop. The group was disbanded on August 24.
Big players
Pop groups with minors have long been popular in China, as well as in Japan and South Korea. Sometimes talented children are singled out through talent shows, which attract hundreds of participants during auditions. The groups can grow into major players in the Chinese music industry. A well-known example is The Fighting Boys, TFBoys for short: a trio that was scouted together at the age of 12 and 13, and grew into a band with an estimated value of 3 billion yuan, converted 400 million euros.
But the criticism of these kinds of groups is growing. Life as a pop star puts a strain on a child’s mental well-being. Chosen children can end up in a hectic double life, or worse: let their school performance deteriorate.
So sincere mercy plays a role. However, the issue cannot be viewed in isolation from a political development in China. The Party is doing a lot to reduce private commerce in the country. The entertainment sector, pre-eminently ‘the black hand of capital’, is not spared.
Earlier this month, the government intervened at the KTVs, the Chinese karaoke bars. All 100,000 songs are screened for ‘illegal content’. They must not be harmful to the ‘national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China’. Most likely, the Party will judge severely.
That strategy should also limit the number of Chinese pop idols. It is precisely the idolatry of, for example, the TFBoys that is a symbol of capitalism in the eyes of the state. For example, allegations of rape against singer-actor Kris Wu (denied by Wu herself) in recent weeks did not lead to a discussion about abuse of power by men, according to the Western #MeToo. It was previously a reason for state media to denounce the abuse of power by pop stars.
Even now it cannot be ruled out that the government is involved in the dismantling of the Panda Boys. “We will deal with this seriously and properly. Thank you for the social and digital scrutiny and criticism,” the agent wrote on state-controlled Weibo. Moments later, the company’s account was deleted.
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