The Knockout Photo: VCG

The sale of a signed photo of a celebrity for nearly 10,000 yuan ($1,460) has once again sparked discussion among netizens concerning scalping in the fan economy. 

The debate kicked off on Friday when a netizen posted on the Sina Weibo account of Zhang Songwen, the lead actor from the recent hit anti-corruption drama The Knockout, telling him that a Polaroid photo with his signature was sold for 8,000 yuan to one of his fans. Later, Zhang replied that he was stunned by the fact, adding: "How did that even happen?"

As the incident continued to ferment, the fan who purchases the photo responded on Sina Weibo that same day to explain the reason for her willingness to spend so much money to curious netizens.

"As a super fan of Zhang Songwen, such an exclusive signature is a companion for me," they said.

"Yet, I realize the harm this incident has caused Zhang. Please don't speak ill of such a great actor."

Although the incident has seemingly ended well, sky-high priced celebrity merchandise reveals a sad truth within the entertainment industry. 

While Chinese cyberspace authorities' crackdown on the country's irrational worship fan culture has led to some improvements, some behind-the-scenes powers are still trying to disrupt the situation by capitalizing on the relationship between performers and fans. 

In 2021, China introduced several regulations to put a damper on the irrational fandom craze and the exaggerated fan economy. That same year, the country also introduced regulations targeting scalpers, cracking down on people who make a living on snapping up and reselling celebrity merchandise and performance tickets. 

These efforts have paid off. Fans, who used to spend a lot of money on their idols, are returning to their senses and no longer snap up celebrity-related products.

With the three-year pandemic coming to an end, the Chinese entertainment industry is embracing another spring. 

This, however, means scalpers are ready to pounce, grabbing up celebrity merchandise for free or at low prices so they can resell them to fans. Flare ups like these must be addressed in a timely manner.

There are thousands of ways of express favor and like to your idols, but spending so much money on a signed photo is never one of these.

When the buying stops, so too will rampant scalping.

The author is an editor of the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn