Vietnam requests Netflix to remove Chinese series ‘Shine on Me’ over illegal nine-dash line
The Cinema Department of Vietnam has requested that Netflix remove the Chinese TV series ‘Shine on Me’ from its website and app after the drama was found to feature the illegal nine-dash line, which China uses to assert unlawful claims over most of the East Vietnam Sea, violating Vietnam’s national sovereignty.
A scene in the Chinese romance series ‘Shine on Me.’ Photo: Weibo
In a notice to Netflix, the department instructed the platform to take down the series, which carries the Vietnamese title ‘Toi nhu thay anh duong ruc ro,’ from its website https://www.netflix.com and app within 24 hours from 9:00 pm on January 3, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
The 27-episode romance drama reached episode 25 on Netflix in Vietnam at the time of the notice.
The platform has self-classified the series as T13, indicating it is suitable for viewers aged 13 and above.
The department discovered the violation through routine monitoring after receiving reports that the series was being streamed to audiences in Vietnam.
After a review, the department found that the series contains multiple map images depicting the illegal nine-dash line, also known as the ‘U-shaped line,’ which violate the country’s sovereignty.
The offending imagery appeared in episode 25, between minutes 32:10 and 34:03.
This screenshot from 'Shine on Me,' a Chinese TV series, shows a map depicting the illegal nine-dash line (marked by the red cross), which China uses to assert unlawful claims of sovereignty over much of the East Vietnam Sea.
Based on these findings, the department classified ‘Shine on Me’ as a C-rated film, making it subject to a distribution ban under Point d, Clause 1, Article 9 of the 2022 Law on Cinematography.
The removal request was issued under Government Decree No. 131/2022/ND-CP, which sets out the implementation of several provisions of the law.
Alongside the takedown order, Netflix was asked to submit a written report confirming compliance by 10:00 pm on January 4.
Public reaction on the ministry’s online portal showed broad support for the move, with many commenters calling for a full ban on films containing the illegal nine-dash line.
Earlier on January 3, several Chinese drama fan pages in Vietnam said they would stop posting updates about the series amid concerns over the unlawful map.
Fan pages of lead actors Song Weilong and Zhao Jinmai also announced they would no longer support the series.
Netflix has previously been required by Vietnamese authorities on multiple occasions to remove films and series found to distort history or violate Vietnam’s national sovereignty, Nhan Dan (People) newspaper reported.
Vinh Tho - Lan Huong / Tuoi Tre News
Link nội dung: https://news.tuoitre.vn/vietnam-requests-netflix-to-remove-chinese-series-shine-on-me-over-illegal-nine-dash-line-10326010514031682.htm