When you take a closer look at the photos of the 36 contestants for CCTV 3’s talent show Bravo Youngsters , you may find something different.
Ling, one contestant on the show, is seemingly perfect. The 25-year-old Beijing woman is a social media influencer, whose realistic appearance is computer generated (生成).
Yet Ling behaves like an actual human social media star. She attends fashion events, promotes designer clothes and brands, and shares her life on Sina Weibo.
“I love traditional Chinese culture, especially Peking Opera, calligraphy and tai chi. I hope that I can interpret (阐释) these art forms in my own way on the stage,” Ling posted on her weibo account on Nov 22.
Actually, Ling herself is the best illustration of her love for Chinese traditional culture.
Her name, Ling, comes from the feathered headdress (头饰) worn in Peking Opera. Her voice in the talent show follows the school (流派) of the late Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang. And her face is even designed to look good while wearing Peking Opera makeup.
According to Chen Yan, founder of Beijing Next Generation Culture Media, the company behind Ling, they aimed to build the virtual idol (虚拟偶像) into a web influencer interested in guofeng (Chinese national style).
Chen Zhe from the company Frees Fund, believes that the rise of virtual influencers will bring opportunities.
“They have great advantages. Unlike human influencers who will get old, or may become involved in some sort of scandal (丑闻), digital influencers are young, flexible, manageable and controllable,” he said.
Chen Yan also pointed out that although influencers like Ling are virtual, their influence is real. Like it or not, they will bring big changes to the entertainment and fashion industries in the near future.
【小题1】What sets Ling apart from the other contestants?| A．Her popularity on social media. | B．Her computer-generated existence. |
| C．Her seemingly perfect appearance. | D．Her love for designing clothes. |
| A．Ling performs Peking Opera on the show. |
| B．Ling dresses up like a Peking Opera singer. |
| C．She displays various Chinese cultural elements. |
| D．Ling likes promoting Chinese culture in the virtual world. |
| A．They are more attractive and talented. |
| B．They act flexibly in different situations. |
| C．They can be controlled and managed easily. |
| D．They can impact the entertainment and fashion industries. |
