Xie Na's Concert Halted Under Pressure, Hong Kong Media Questions Overreach of Chinese State Media

(CNA Taipei, June 30) Chinese renowned host Xie Na, with nearly 30 years in the industry, had a planned concert tour for July that was set to be one of the hottest tickets this summer. However, voices on Chinese internet platforms questioned Xie Na's "cross-industry money-grabbing" and initiated a boycott, leading to successive criticism from multiple state media outlets and the subsequent cancellation of the concert. In response, Hong Kong media, citing the critical voices, questioned the extensive control of state media.

The Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao published a special article today stating that Xie Na has hosted variety shows for over 20 years, "known for her lively, spoofing, quirky, and eccentric hosting style." Last month, she held a concert in Chengdu, billed as "purely fulfilling a dream, a one-time event." Many celebrities showed their support at the venue, and the concert was well-received.

However, the article noted that Xie Na soon announced the "Long Live Happiness. Our Youth" concert tour, with the first stop in Beijing. Ticket sales officially began on June 11th, with prices ranging from a minimum of RMB 380 (approximately NT$1700) to a maximum of RMB 1180. All 15,000 tickets were sold out within one minute, and the number of people interested on the ticketing platform reached 177,000.

The article mentioned that the shift from "a one-time event" to a "concert tour" sparked controversies such as "false advertising, price gouging for profit, and实力不配位 (lack of matching talent for the position)." Criticism emerged on Chinese internet platforms, with some netizens reporting and boycotting through hotlines. The state media outlet "Zhejiang Propaganda," which was among the first to harshly criticize, stated that concerts should shed superficial extravagance and adhere to quality and value, warning that "superficial popularity is neither sustainable for profit nor conducive to maintaining cultural style."

Furthermore, the online commentary platform "People's Sharp Review" (人民銳評) under the People's Daily recently published an article titled "We Are Experiencing a De-mystification of Traffic." Ming Pao stated that although this article did not name names, it mentioned "traffic stars whose main profession is hosting, lacking systematic musical works, dare to hold national tours, relying on selling sentiment to consume audience emotions," and it was clear to everyone who was being discussed.

People's Sharp Review's commentary also stated that traffic without solid backing will eventually become a huge burden, even leading to backlash; "Outlook Weekly" (半月谈) under Xinhua News Agency also expressed its stance, saying, "The trend of prioritizing traffic and 'black is also red' will not work."

The Ming Pao article indicated that under escalating public pressure, the organizers recently announced the sudden cancellation of Xie Na's Beijing concert and a full refund, which can be described as the most dramatic scene in China's entertainment industry this year.

However, although the concert was canceled, the controversy has not subsided. Ming Pao quoted criticisms stating, "Celebrities holding concerts is a market behavior. As long as it is legal and compliant, and the audience is willing to buy tickets, why should state media interfere? Isn't that overstepping? Moreover, the last-minute cancellation also affects consumer interests." (Edited by: Chou Hui-ying / Hsu Chung-che) 1150630

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