Chinese variety show Keep Running has reached its 14th season, but its popularity has seen a sharp decline recently, accompanied by frequent negative rumors, such as a rapid drop in viewership compared to previous seasons, veteran members Li Chen and Zheng Kai suspected of being sidelined, Bai Lu previously accused of disrespecting seniors, and now, the show—long portrayed as a ‘public benefit cultural tourism ambassador’—has been exposed for continuously charging hefty promotional fees from multiple local tourism departments, sparking intense accusations of hypocrisy.
Netizens discovered that Jiangshan City Tourism Development Co., Ltd. published an official procurement announcement on May 11, revealing a budget amount of 8.5 million RMB (approximately 5.08 million MYR) for the Jiangshan edition of Keep Running. According to the announcement, this fee was to be used for ‘comprehensively showcasing Jiangshan City’s cultural tourism resources, unique culture, and city image,’ with the right to use the label ‘Keep Running Filming Location’. At the same time, ‘topics will trend and behind-the-scenes footage will be promoted during the publicity period’. The procurement method was sole-source, on the grounds of ‘protecting intellectual property rights such as copyright and trademarks,’ making the collection of such fees the core of the controversy.
Netizens also checked several public records from other regions. In 2023, Xinchang County, Zhejiang used a competitive negotiation process to purchase the Keep Running! Xinchang Edition project, with the contract price at 9.495 million RMB (about 5.68 million MYR). This year, Chongli’s cooperation plan with Zhejiang TV’s Keep Running also used a sole-source procurement method, with a budget of 8.5 million RMB. At its peak in 2015, Keep Running quoted 13 million RMB (about 7.78 million MYR) for two episodes to Luoyang, finally settling between 5 to 7 million RMB (around 2.99 to 4.19 million MYR) after negotiations.
Multiple official procurement documents from different regions (Jiangshan, Chongli, Xinchang) confirm the existence of huge fees, completely shattering the show’s ‘public benefit promotion’ image. After charging these fees, the show has been criticized for mistakes such as misrepresenting landmarks, damaging heritage sites, failing to promote local culture, and shifting focus to celebrity gossip, all of which starkly contrast with the high fees charged, further fueling public doubts that the money isn’t well spent. The issue has quickly become a trending topic, causing an uproar among netizens. #
Source: on.cc