Photo: Screenshot from social media platform X

A female celebrity on a Chinese variety show openly mentioned that she was on her period, and instead of reacting with surprise, the male guests on the show helped her out. The clip has drawn particular attention from netizens in South Korea, some of whom commented that such a scene "would never happen here."

The excerpt came from a water-based challenge segment in which the guests were required to enter the water to solve puzzles. Before going in, male guest Zhang Linghe proactively asked the two female guests whether getting into the water would cause them any discomfort. When it was her turn, female guest Jin Jing did not use a euphemism for menstruation; instead, she said directly: "I'm on my period, so I can't touch cold water."

Upon hearing this, none of the male guests looked awkward or made mocking jokes. They naturally adjusted the task division to let Jin stay ashore.

The production team kept the full conversation in the final cut, without audio bleeps or any deletions.

A South Korean content creator reposted this video on X, and it quickly garnered attention. As of Thursday morning, the clip had racked up 38,000 likes and more than 5,700 reposts.

Many South Korean netizens were astonished to see Chinese celebrities talk so openly about the traditionally sensitive topic of menstruation on camera, noting such candid dialogue would be unthinkable in South Korea. One netizen shared the video with a Korean-language comment, writing that these Chinese celebrities are "on an entirely different level" from some South Korean men who would make fun of menstruation.

"I cannot understand why we have to hide discussions about menstruation," one netizen wrote in Korean, adding "I hope we can cultivate more of this kind of open-minded atmosphere."

One netizen said that it was because of this kind of open culture in China that "I had started switching from Korean dramas to Chinese TV series."

Another netizen praised the wholesome dynamic shown in the clip and shared her own contrasting experience at a seaside seminar. The netizen recalled that even after explaining she could not enter the water for health reasons, some attendees still failed to show understanding.

"In fact, an environment where we can freely talk about periods is truly healthy... Treating it as a taboo makes no sense," one netizen wrote in Korean on X.

The incident has also sparked discussions among Chinese netizens. Some praised how the celebrities handled the situation, calling the clip heartwarming. Others, however, pointed out that not every female celebrity can speak about her period as directly as Jin in the video, nor can every male celebrity would respond with such thoughtful consideration. "But I hope that one day, the whole world will be like this."

One netizen also shared how her own experiences have changed over time, saying that she now feels comfortable saying the word "period" out loud and naturally discussing menstruation with people of all genders. She attributed this shift to the growing number of women speaking up and becoming more open about their bodies and minds.

Global Times