Lunar New Year is just around the corner, falling on Monday, February 5. And intense rehearsals are underway for Chunwan, CCTV’s annual Spring Festival Gala, the annual state entertainment programme that is broadcast on the eve of the festival.
The four hour-plus live extravaganza is the most watched show in the world, and attracted 1 billion viewers last year.
Why ‘Chunwan’, China’s Lunar New Year gala, is the world’s most-watched TV show
It usually features the best in music, dancing, opera, magic performances, as well as comedy skits such as xiaopin and xiangsheng. It also acts as a showcase for China’s latest achievements, whether economic or technological.
For the Xiaonian Festival on 28 January this year, CCTV’s new programme Online Chunwan actually had its hosts take to the stage with AI versions of themselves.
But despite Chunwan’s long-standing popularity, China’s millennials are gradually replacing it with other entertainment. In a bid to keep the attention of this demographic, young celebrities and stars are being invited to appear on the show.
While the exact list remains under wraps, here’s what we know so far:
Chinese boy band TFBoys, who have regularly appeared on Chunwan since 2016, will continue to represent Gen Z in the 2019 edition.
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Young actor Leo Wu Lei will perform alongside TFBoys.
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The 27-year-old Chinese actor and heartthrob Deng Lun will make his debut this year.
Actress Yang Mi, who has not been seen around town as frequently since her marriage to Hong Kong actor Hawick Lau ended in divorce last year, will return to the spotlight when she features on the show.
Young actress Zhou Dongyu will be joining China’s country music band Phoenix Legend for a live performance.
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Actress Dilraba Dilmurat, from Urumqi, Xinjiang province, has also been invited to sing on stage.
Among the stars due to perform is Chinese actor Lay Zhang, who debuted in K-pop band Exo – he was spotted during Chunwan rehearsals.
Famous Chinese rapper Kris Wu, a former member of the South Korean-Chinese boy band Exo, will perform with pop singer Sun Nan.
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Actor Zhu Yilong, who appears in the wildly popular TV drama series The Story Of Minglan, will team up with actor Li Yifeng and actress Jiang Shuying for a special segment.
Actress Qin Lan – famous for her starring role in the historical TV series Story of Yanxi Palace – will bainian, or wish everyone a Happy New Year.
Renowned Chinese actor Zhang Hanyu, known for his macho roles, is also expected to participate.
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