Tuesday, Jun. 22, 2010

China's Next Top Model

Reality TV has been slow to hit China, but producers are taking their cues from the U.S. and Britain to make up for lost time. China now has its own versions of American Idol (Super Girl and Super Boy), Project Runway (the roughly translated Magical Talented Designers) and America's Next Top Model (obviously, China's Next Top Model). All have become massive hits, though it may be some time before China produces the next Kelly Clarkson or Christian Siriano. According to Chen Jun, an editor at the Chinese fashion magazine iLook, the contestants on Magical Talented Designers aren't, well, particularly magical or talented. "It's a copy show," he says. "You can see it's not very original."