Hunan TV is currently under fire again after Chinese netizens and media outfits noticed similarities of its newest show 'Dear Visitor' with JTBC's top variety program, 'Hyori's Homestay.'
On their official Weibo account, the station announced: "Hunan TV's new variety program 'Dear Visitor' (literal translation) will be scheduled to air after 'Chinese Restaurant' (literal translation) this October. It will air every Saturday at 10 p.m."
The show is said to be an observational reality program which would feature two celebrity pairs running their own homestay. Viewers would get a chance to see how the pair are like outside the spotlight and see how they interact with guests and each other.
Chinese netizens and the media immediately spotted the similarities of the show with JTBC's 'Hyori's Homestay' and criticized the station for plagiarizing another show. Previously, the station was accused of plagiarizing tvN's 'Three Meals a Day' with their show 'Life Yearned For' and tvN's 'Youn's Kitchen' with 'Chinese Restaurant'.
Some of the netizens said "When you look at it, you think of 'Hyori's Homestay' immediately". Others even said, "Was the Chinese ban on Korean culture so that Hunan TV could plagiarize [Korean shows] easier."
One Chinese media also spoken loudly about the issue and said: "This isn't Hunan TV's first plagiarism, and it won't be their last plagiarism."
The media outfit also gave an example on how one station got the rights to do their own version of KBS's 'Running Man' and pointed out "Isn't it better to kill two birds with one stone by showcasing a program's influence in a fair manner [like this]?"
As of press time, Hunan TV has yet to make an official statement regarding the issue.
