Netflix has removed the Chinese TV drama “Shine on Me” from its Vietnam platform after Vietnamese authorities objected to scenes featuring a map with China’s “nine-dash line,” which Vietnam says is inaccurate and infringes on its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture ordered the takedown on January 3 and gave Netflix 24 hours to comply; by January 6, the series was no longer available in Vietnam.
The 27-episode romance drama had been popular in China and other markets, ranking among the top ten on Netflix in Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam before its removal.
Vietnam is one of several countries that dispute China’s South China Sea claims represented by the nine-dash line. This is not the first time Vietnam has banned content over the issue: authorities previously barred Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” in 2023 and DreamWorks’ “Abominable” in 2016 for featuring the same contested map.
Source: BBC, January 7, 2026
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/articles/ce9ynrxp001o/trad