"'Photoshop' Is Too Obvious"…Chinese Netizens Debate Over Rice Promotion Official's Video

Chinese Weihong Cultural Tourism Local Rice Promotion Video Uploaded
Female Official Appearing Sparks Unexpected 'Beauty Filter' Controversy
"Excessive Beauty Filter" vs "Focus on Work Instead"

A Chinese government official sparked controversy by using a 'beauty filter' app in a promotional video advertising rice as a local specialty. On the 12th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, "The appearance of a government official in a video from the official account of Weihong Culture and Tourism in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, northeastern China, on the 1st has recently been criticized on social media."

Deputy Director Peng Bo of the Weihonggu Cultural Tourism Bureau in China introducing local rice. Official account of Weihong Cultural Tourism

The video features Peng Bo (41), deputy director of the Weihong District Culture and Tourism Bureau, who fluently switches between English and the northeastern Chinese dialect while introducing the local rice. Dressed in a suit, Peng said in authentic British English, "Ladies and gentlemen, today I would like to excellently introduce our special product, rice. Uncle Zhao, please help with the introduction." Then a man named Zhao Heping appeared holding a bundle of rice and responded in the local dialect, "This rice is produced in our village and cultivated without chemical fertilizers. We welcome all friends who come to Wanjin Village to taste this rice."

Initially, the unexpected language switch from English to dialect received praise from viewers, but over time suspicions arose that Peng had excessively used beauty filters in the video. On social media, users blatantly mocked Peng by comparing other photos of her with screenshots from the video. Among netizens, opinions emerged such as "Excessive beauty filters can undermine the credibility of a government official," "It would be better to invest more time in work than in photo editing," and "She looks like she is in her twenties."

When the sudden appearance controversy erupted, Peng apologized, saying, "I never expected this to become an issue. If I had known about this situation, I definitely would not have used such strong filters." However, some netizens commented, "Nowadays, no one goes without filters," and "We should focus on the excellent work done rather than appearance," criticizing the excessive backlash against a woman.