'I am like a brilliant sun' was erased by Vietnamese netizens, Tong Uy Long was shockingly boycotted

On the evening of January 3, Vietnamese social networks exploded in a wave of outrage at the information that the Chinese TV series "Proud Duong Tu Nga" (another name: "I Am Like the Brilliant Sun") installed images that violated Vietnam's territorial sovereignty.

Despite owning the famous main couple, Trieu Kim Mai and Tong Uy Long, the film is currently in danger of completely "flying colors" in the Vietnamese market due to fierce controversies related to politics.

Detecting infringing images in episode 25

The incident originated from a scene in episode 25 of the movie. Many Vietnamese viewers have been keenly aware of the image of the world map appearing in the background containing the illegal "ox-tongue line" (nine-dash line). Although this image was not too sharp and only glanced, it was immediately captured and shared by the online community at a dizzying speed on film groups.

The installation of symbols that violate sovereignty in entertainment works is considered an unacceptable act for Vietnamese audiences. Immediately, a strong wave of protests targeted the film crew and distributors.

Drastic reaction from online platforms and communities

Not letting the incident drag on, stakeholders in Vietnam have taken tough moves:

Large Fanpages: A series of pages specializing in updating Chinese showbiz news with millions of followers have simultaneously announced to stop sharing all images, clips and news related to "Proud Self".

Movie viewing platforms: Movie Basket – one of the popular online movie viewing addresses – has officially announced the removal of the film from its archives to show respect for national sovereignty.

Vietnamese audience: On forums, netizens unanimously called for a boycott of the film. Many people expressed their disappointment because they were following the journey of the main couple but were willing to give up because of national self-esteem.

"No matter how good the movie is, if it touches sovereignty, it will be discarded. I love idols but love my country more," a viewer commented that received thousands of interactions.

The "car crash" of Chinese movies

This is not the first time that Chinese dramas have faced fierce criticism from Vietnamese audiences for the same reason. Previously, a series of cult works such as Direction of the Wind, Let Me Shine, Love 199 – Want to Forever Love or In the Name of a Family Member were also found to have the image of a "cow's tongue".

The common point of these films is that they were all removed or cropped by OTT platforms in Vietnam after encountering reactions from the public and the authorities. The fact that "Proud Yang Self" continues to go into this wreck makes many people question the deliberate intention of Chinese filmmakers in integrating false information.

The wave of boycotts spreads

Currently, the official issuers in Vietnam have not yet issued a final written response. However, with tremendous pressure from the online community, it is highly likely that the film will be completely "banned" on all legal platforms.

Some notable comments from the online community: "After Trieu Lo Tu now comes to Trieu Kim Mach, it is really the slap of the actors surnamed Trieu in Vietnam." "I'm watching it very well, but when I see this image, I have to drop it right away. There are no exceptions to the issue of sovereignty." "Support websites that remove the film early to set an example for future works."

The incident of Kieu Duong Tu Nga is once again a stern warning to film distribution platforms about thoroughly censoring content before putting it in the hands of viewers. For Vietnamese audiences, patriotism is always an inviolable red line, even if it is just a simple entertainment work.

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