A Vietnamese Web site, which only works when users correctly answer a quiz about disputed islands in the South China Sea, has infuriated scores of television fans in China desperate to catch the latest episode of a popular Chinese period drama.
The drama, The Story of Yanxi Palace, has attracted a huge following in China for its colorful depiction of Qing Dynasty-era politics and the tale of a brave and plucky young concubine.
The first 56 episodes are being aired for free on Chinese video streaming platform iQiyi, which holds exclusive rights to the drama.
However, a Vietnamese Web site somehow obtained extra episodes that have not yet been broadcast in China.
Chinese drama fans flocked to bomtan.org, which hosts online copies of Asian dramas, only to be met with a challenge that pits patriotism against the insatiable urge to binge watch television.
The Web site, which did not appear to have rights to broadcast the drama, asks users to answer questions confirming their Vietnamese identity before the Web site loads.
“This service is for Vietnamese people only. Please answer the following questions: To which country do the Hoang Sa [Paracel or Xisha Islands, 西沙群島] belong? Vietnam, China, Philippines or Japan?”
The only correct answer to the question, according to the Web site, is Vietnam.
The nation has long been embroiled in disputes with China in the South China Sea and claims sovereignty over the islands, which the Chinese military occupies and are also claimed by Taiwan.
“This is nonsense,” one Chinese viewer said on Sina Weibo. “Who gave Vietnam the courage to challenge China’s territorial sovereignty?”
“While stealing Chinese TV dramas, Vietnam has also stolen Chinese territory,” another viewer said.
The show’s official Sina Weibo account on Monday released a statement asking other online streaming services to respect copyright and to remove unauthorized copies of the drama.
A request for comment sent to a contact e-mail listed on bomtan.org went unanswered yesterday. Copies of the drama had been removed from the platform.
The quiz, however, remained.
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