Lollipop sparks tourism debate

A viral video of a costumed performer feeding candy to a tourist has forced China's immersive tourism industry to ask a difficult question: where does hospitality end and impropriety begin? A bell rings. A curtain parts. A young man in a crimson-and-black robe steps out, smiling. He lifts a red veil, bites a lollipop and leans toward a visitor.

Phones rise across the crowd.

The performer, known by the stage name Little Yellow Fish, became one of the most recognizable non-player characters (NPCs) at Gexian Village Resort in Shangrao, East China's Jiangxi province. His performances relied on improvisation and close interaction with visitors.

For young women, he might drape a red veil over their heads, lightly touch a lollipop to their cheeks or interlace fingers. For young men, the interactions were often more playful, including mock kisses through a veil or exaggerated teasing.

The formula worked. Clips spread rapidly across Douyin, China's version of TikTok, helping turn the resort into a viral tourist destination.

Then came the "blackfish". On May 1, People's Daily's Minsheng Weekly published a commentary citing Little Yellow Fish as an example of tourism performances that blurred the line between entertainment and inappropriate behavior in pursuit of online traffic. The following day, both the performer and the resort issued public apologies.

The changes were immediate. The lollipop is now handed directly to visitors rather than shared through physical interaction. The resort also announced revised performance guidelines, expanded cultural training for NPC actors and a long-term public feedback mechanism.

"We extend our sincerest apologies to netizens and tourists," the resort said in a statement.

The incident has drawn attention to one of the fastest-growing sectors in China's tourism industry: immersive NPC performances designed to turn scenic areas into interactive experiences.