BEIJING: A live-streamer in China mimicked national track and field athlete Wu Yanni and performed provocative dances for profit, sparking a heated online debate.
Videos by Douyin influencer @xiaoyu, who has over 4,000 followers, went viral and topped the Weibo trending list on December 5.
The controversial videos feature her wearing make-up and styling her hair to resemble Wu, dressed in sportswear, and copying Wu’s signature gestures, such as pointing skyward before starting a race.
Wu, 27, completed her 100m hurdles at the Paris Olympics in 12.97 seconds, narrowly missing the semi-finals but setting a record for Chinese women’s 100m hurdlers.
Dramatic make-up and, more importantly, Wu’s confident and assertive personality have made her an icon for young Chinese generations who value individuality and self-expression.
The Wu KOL impersonator offered to perform various gestures as long as the audience sent gifts. In addition to Wu’s classic gestures, she also performed splits and dances in exchange for more expensive gifts.
The influencer’s live-streaming emerged amid the controversial popularity of former Chinese gymnast Wu Liufang’s dancing videos, which feature “sexy” clothing.
Followers of Wu Liufang’s account surged from 80,000 to six million after another former gymnast, Olympic gold medallist Guan Chenchen, condemned her videos and urged her to stop tarnishing the image of Chinese gymnastics.
Some supported Guan, while others defended Wu, arguing that she had the right to profit from her past achievements in any legal manner, especially considering the financial struggles many retired athletes face without significant international accolades like Olympic medals.
However, the case of Wu Yanni’s impersonator is different. Lawyer Fu Jian from Henan Jinze Law Firm told Xiaoxiang Morning Herald that the live-streamer’s commercial use of Wu Yanni’s image without her permission is illegal.
Moreover, inappropriate performances could negatively impact Wu’s image and infringe upon her portrait rights.
The impersonator’s account has been restricted by Douyin and banned from posting new videos.
This live-streamer is just one of many online impersonators of Chinese celebrities. For example, former South Korean-Chinese pop group EXO member Lu Han has a lookalike, Lu Ha, with over seven million followers. There are also several lookalikes of “King of Mandopop” Jay Chou on Douyin, each garnering millions of followers.
Social media users generally exhibit high tolerance for these accounts, viewing them as “entertaining and harmless”.
However, some expressed concerns about athlete lookalikes, particularly those like Wu Yanni’s impersonator who profit from their performances.
“It takes years of hard work and persistence to become a top-notch athlete, and they should be respected rather than exploited by KOLs for entertainment purposes,” one commenter stated.
“Such KOLs objectify sportswomen, shifting the focus to their appearance instead of their physical prowess and achievements,” remarked another.
A third commenter added: “No matter how hard she tries to look like Wu Yanni, she cannot run as fast as her or compete at the Olympic Games.”
Conversely, some supported these lookalikes, suggesting: “We should encourage more people to mimic national heroes like athletes and scientists.” - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
