PUBLISHED ONFebruary 14, 2024 6:47 AMByYeo Shu HuiWhile most people were enjoying their Lunar New Year holiday over the past weekend, Chinese actor Bai Jingting, best known for his performance in dramas Reset (2022) and Destined (2023) with actress and rumoured girlfriend Song Yi, spent it under criticism from Chinese netizens.
The 30-year-old was under fire for allegedly not budging from the centre position during his performance with actors Wei Daxun and Wei Chen on the programme CCTV Spring Festival Gala.
On Feb 9, the three of them sang the song Shang Chun Shan. During the live performance, they stood on a tiered platform which looked like a winner's podium, with Jingting standing on the highest step and the first to sing.
Based on this set-up, it appeared like he was supposed to step down from the spot when he completed his part, so that Daxun, who sang next, could move to stand on the highest step. However, Jingting did not leave his position and Daxun, 34, sang from the lower step.
After Daxun sang his part, the camera panned to a wide shot, showing him using an ushering gesture to invite Jingting down the platform with him, so that Wei Chen, 37, could stand in the centre position and sing.
Because of this gesture, Jingting was accused by Chinese netizens for being attention-seeking and hogging the limelight.
In the comments section of a selfie he posted on Weibo on Feb 10, there was an outpour of criticism.
One netizen wrote: "Are you afraid that people won't remember you? Is the stage so empty?"
"Here is someone who likes to snatch the centre position," commented another.
Another citizen wrote: "Your number of fans decreased after the Spring Festival Gala. It seems like you lack character."
In addition, netizens also pointed out that Jingting's outfit during the performance was different from the rehearsals and interviews.
After the performance, Chinese presenter Xie Na asked the trio if there was any difference in their clothing as compared to during the rehearsals. Daxun replied in the negative.
Jingting, who had changed to a red suit then, said: "Ours (his and Wei Chen's) have changed."
"Did it change suddenly?" Xie Na asked boldly as the others laughed, seemingly to infer that Jingting wore different colours to stand out among the others.
The hashtag "Bai Jingting" was ranked in the top five of the Weibo Entertainment hot search list on Feb 13. A netizen also alleged that Jingting had a relatively huge decrease in followers on his Weibo and Douyin accounts since Feb 12.
Some netizens have even gone to the extent of commenting on Song Yi's Weibo post, encouraging her to break up with Jingting. The 34-year-old actress, who was in Singapore for the Yuewen Global IP Awards last month, was romantically linked with Jingting after they were spotted in various places together, although they have never officially addressed those rumours.
However, despite the change in colours of clothing, it turns out Jingting did not hog the centre position, as he was meant to stand there throughout the performance.
In a video circulating on Weibo on Feb 13, Jingting, Daxun and Wei Chen were seen rehearsing the song in their rehearsal attire on Feb 7. Jingting stood on the highest step on the platform to sing his part and continued standing there as Daxun sang his, similar to the actual performance.
Nevertheless, some netizens continued to criticise Jingting, demanding an explanation for his different outfits and commenting on the production team for the strange stage direction.
CCTV attempted to defuse the situation in a Weibo post on Feb 13.
In their hashtag, they wrote: "Every move in the Spring Festival Gala is carefully designed and accurately presented."
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