PUBLISHED ONJuly 24, 2023 8:50 AMByJolynn ChiaWhat good are fire extinguishers for apart from putting out fires? Flirting, apparently.
In one of the most discussed dramas in China right now titled Fireworks of My Heart, actors Yang Yang and Wang Churan's characters, Song Yan and Xu Qin, flirt with each other with the help of a fire extinguisher, even leaving the tap running on another occasion (more on this below).
Coincidentally, the two actors are rumoured to be dating in real-life.
In the aforementioned scene telecast last week, professional firefighter Song Yan shows doctor Xu Qin how to use a fire extinguisher. As he explains the steps, she rests her head on his shoulders and positions her face close to his. Then, he holds the equipment while standing behind her, and swings the fire extinguisher up and down as demonstration.
Viewers scoffed at the incorrect usage of fire extinguishers, with one disgruntled commentator calling it "like opening a champagne bottle" and the Cangzhou Fire Department sharing a video clip on how to really use the equipment.
Amid the furore, the drama's producer Jia Shikai explained that the female lead Xu Qin had previously encountered storms and earthquakes, so the male lead Song Yan buys her an emergency pack and explains to her how to use it.
While he apologised for the controversy, Shikai defended the scene with the reasoning that it was Song Yan's personal purchase and they weren't using public fire extinguishers.
Many viewers were not placated though.
"Just because they bought the fire extinguisher themselves, they can play with it any way they want to?" one user questioned, with the comment becoming a hashtag.
In another romantic scene, also telecast recently, that has exasperated viewers, Song Yan and Xu Qin kiss passionately in the kitchen and as they move around in wild abandon, she accidentally turns on the tap in the sink and leaves the water running. In case viewers haven't caught on to their desire, the director also made sure a kettle was boiling and releasing steam in the background.
"Why did you leave the tap running while kissing? Is it more exciting that way?" a sceptical Weibo post read.
Hunan High Court also took a jab at the scene in their post about water conservation, by including the hashtag "Why must the two leads leave the tap running while kissing".
Not surprisingly, the show's ratings have suffered, sinking to a 4.1 out of 10 on Douban, a public discussion platform. A user was still unhappy that it was not low enough, with their comment dripping with sarcasm: "All of us are responsible for this rating, our standards are apparently not low enough."
jolynn.chia@asiaone.com
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