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No Other Love actress issues apology to people of China

LOS ANGELES — A Korean-American actress, Audrie Kiko Daniel (aka Kiko Mizuhara) has issued a video apology to the people of mainland China. It is the latest in a series of incidents highlighting the growing politicisation of the entertainment industry there.

A still taken from the apology video posted by Audrie Kiko Daniel. Photo: YouTube

A still taken from the apology video posted by Audrie Kiko Daniel. Photo: YouTube

LOS ANGELES — A Korean-American actress, Audrie Kiko Daniel (aka Kiko Mizuhara) has issued a video apology to the people of mainland China. It is the latest in a series of incidents highlighting the growing politicisation of the entertainment industry there.

Mizuhara apologised for allegedly using social media to “like” a photograph in which Chinese artist Ai Weiwei raised his middle finger in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

She also used her nearly five minutes of English-language mea culpa to deny that she was the person in a photo taken at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates Japanese World War II dead.

Mizuhara appears in the mainland Chinese production No Other Love — the second movie directed by Zhao Wei, one of the country’s most popular actresses and directors — from which lead actor Leon Dai was last week removed after the production group and the film’s investors decided that he had been too equivocal on the subject of Taiwanese independence. Among the film’s investors are Alibaba Pictures Group.

It is unclear whether the film, which had begun post-production, will now be reshot with a replacement male lead. And it is unclear whether Mizuhara’s grovelling has been enough to satisfy the Chinese media, and to let her keep her role.

Taiwan’s Premier Lin Chuan this weekend issued a statement saying actors and actresses should be allowed to perform “without political factors getting in the way”.

Taiwan became self-ruled after the Communist Party took over mainland China in 1949, but cross straits tensions have never ceased. This year, which saw the election of a less pro-China president in Taiwan, and the recent Hague ruling on economic use of the South China Sea, has witnessed a rising tide of intolerance.

In January, Chou Tzu-yu of K-pop group Twice was forced to apologise to the people of China by her Korean management JYP Entertainment after she was accused of waving a Taiwan flag during a TV show.

Tenky Tin, chairman of the Hong Kong Movie Production Executives Association, said it was inevitable that mainland Chinese rules and ideologies would have to be followed by those who seek to break into the China market.

However, Tin said that the recent events will not help mainland Chinese productions travel abroad.

“In general mainland movies don’t appeal to overseas markets, even those in Hong Kong. But this doesn’t seem to be a concern for China,” he said.

Others are dealing with the situation through humour. Some Hong Kong and Taiwanese netizens have used Facebook (which is banned in China) to launch The First Annual Apologies To China Contest.

The South China Morning Post cites contestants posting satirical comments including: “I am sorry that I cannot understand the Chinese democracy. It must be because I am not intelligent enough,” and “Sorry, but my computer does not have a Great Firewall. I can watch BBC, CNN and access Google.” VARIETY/REUTERS

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