If you watch the Chinese variety show Keep Running that aired last Friday (July 14), don't get weirded out if you see a cast member speaking or playing with the air.

It is not a supernatural phenomenon, it is just that Chinese idol singer Cai Xukun, who was a guest in this episode and the next, was digitally removed following his recent scandal.

The show, which is a Chinese remake of the South Korean variety show Running Man, had to delay the airing of the episode for two weeks when Xukun was accused of forcing a woman to go for an abortion after he had a one-night stand with her in 2021.

Although the 24-year-old subsequently explained the matter in his Weibo post on July 3, he is laying low in the Chinese entertainment industry for now.

When the latest episode of Keep Running was announced to air last Friday, fans and netizens were looking forward to seeing if Xukun would still appear.

And when it was broadcast, it was almost as if Xukun was never on the show in the first place.

However, sharp-eyed netizens and fans, who have been following the production of the episode when the cast filmed it in Thailand in early June, compared fan-shot footage (fan cams) to the broadcast scenes, and found that certain scenes with Xukun were removed with CGI.

Such as in the opening scene; in a preview that was released earlier, viewers saw that Xukun was walking beside Chinese singer Zhou Shen.

But in the version that was broadcast, the production team used a long shot and digitally removed Xukun completely.

Netizens also found that Xukun, who was previously seen to be standing in the centre, was completely removed in the episode that was broadcast.

There are also empty spots between the cast members where Xukun was previously supposed to be standing or seated.

Although Xukun was removed, the show must go on, and this resulted in some scenes where the members are just speaking to or playing with the air in the background.

In a scene at the beginning, actor Li Chen can be seen speaking with the air, at the spot where Xukun used to stand.

The hashtag "Can someone please tell me who Li Chen is speaking to" went viral on Chinese social media platform Weibo's Hot Search list last Sunday afternoon.

It garnered many hilarious comments from netizens, such as one who said: "Li Chen must have a lot on his mind, that's why he is speaking to the air."

Another wrote: "Li Chen must have been left out and ignored by others, so he had no choice but to speak to the air. Can Song Yuqi entertain him for a while?" Yuqi is a Chinese member of South Korea girl group (G)i-dle who was a guest in the episode.

In another scene, where the members have to search each other's bags, Chinese singer-actor Fan Chengcheng was seen searching the air.

Later, Chinese actor Sha Yi is also seen speaking to the air at the poolside. He even gestures at it.

As if viewers were not "spooked" enough, some "mysterious" body parts also appeared in the shots.

Such as an additional hand in this scene, where there are supposed to be only five members in the group now.

The "mysterious" hand appeared again later while the members were playing by the poolside.

Netizen also spot an "extra" pair of boots beside the chaise lounges.

However, all is not lost, as Xukun's fans still found him in some scenes that flashed by quickly.

Such as this chasing scene with his back view and his nametag.

You can catch the full episode on YouTube and see if you can spot more of Xukun lingering at the side of a scene.

Although there is no preview for the next episode, the second part of it is expected to air this Friday (July 21).

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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

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