The 32-episode drama has been available on several online streaming platforms in Vietnam.

On the evening of October 2, many viewers discovered that at minute 29 of episode 16, a scene featuring the character played by William Chan includes a background image of a map containing the “nine-dash line.”

Attentive viewers quickly took screenshots and shared them widely on social media.

The discovery triggered public outrage, with many users calling for a boycott of the series.

Several fanpages announced they would stop updating content about the show and deleted all previously posted images.

Speaking to VietNamNet on the morning of October 3, Mr. Dang Tran Cuong, Head of the Cinema Department, said the agency had acknowledged the issue and requested an official explanation from involved parties.

“We’ve asked for a formal response by 11:00 AM today,” Mr. Cuong stated.

“If a violation is confirmed, the show must be removed and further penalties will be applied in accordance with the law.”

Reporters noted that platforms such as FPT Play, VieON, and TV360 have already removed or hidden the series.

Let Me Shine had recently gone viral on social media thanks to its fresh storyline, which stood out from typical romantic dramas produced in China.

The series quickly amassed over 450 million views on Weibo within days of its release, significantly boosting Zhao Lusi’s popularity.

The "nine-dash line," also known as the "U-shaped line," consists of nine segments unilaterally drawn by China to claim nearly the entire East Sea.

This claim is widely opposed by the international community and is considered a violation of international maritime law.

This incident is not the first of its kind.

Previously, several Chinese films and shows were banned or boycotted in Vietnam for including similar controversial content that violates Vietnamese sovereignty.

Examples include Flight to You, Abominable, Forever and Ever, Go Ahead, One and Only, You Are My Glory (starring Yang Yang and Dilraba Dilmurat), and others.

In 2021, Vietnam’s Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information requested Netflix to take down the series Pine Gap for containing unlawful content.

In August 2020, the American TV show Madam Secretary also faced a similar issue.

Tuan Chieu