K-Content Targeted by Chinese 'Pirate Viewers': 140,000 Reviews for Illegal Streams

K-content, which is enjoying global popularity, has once again become a target of illegal streaming in China.

As the Netflix original series "True Education" continues its global success, some Chinese netizens have been caught watching the show through illegal distribution channels and even leaving a massive number of reviews, sparking controversy.

An official review page for "True Education" has already been created on Douban, China's largest content review site.

On that page, approximately 140,000 netizens have already participated in rating the show, and the number of reviews has well exceeded 50,000.

Netflix does not officially provide its services in China.

Nevertheless, the fact that hundreds of thousands of ratings have poured in over a short period is evidence that local netizens have been watching the work through illegal distribution channels.

Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University, who has been at the forefront of promoting Korean culture, strongly criticized the situation.

Professor Seo pointed out that if one searches for "True Education" on Baidu, China's largest portal site, it is easy to find free streaming sites, noting that illegal viewing has now become a daily routine in China.

He raised his voice, stating that it is even more appalling that they feel no shame at all.

The controversy over Chinese netizens "stealing" K-content is nothing new.

Previously, such illegal viewing has been repeatedly observed whenever hit works were released, including Netflix's "K-Pop Demon Hunters," "Squid Game," "Culinary Class Wars," and "The Glory."

Professor Seo urged a change in attitude from Chinese authorities, who have been standing by while copyright infringement continues.

He emphasized that it is urgent to take more active measures, such as intensive crackdowns on illegal activities within the country and the implementation of measures to prevent recurrence, rather than continuing to ignore the situation where illegal viewing has become normalized.

Reported by Kang Sun-ae | Video by Ryu Ji-soo | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.