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Lessons from 'Kappa girl'

By Chen Weihua (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-22 07:54

The fact that sex sells is nothing new. But, when a sexually explicit video of a young woman in Shanghai helps her rise to fame, it becomes an issue deserving of the nation's examination.

The 12-minute clip shows Lin Jia'ni, a former sales assistant for Italian sportswear Kappa, having sex with a man. The video was first found on the Web late last month, but lately, it has become the hottest topic discussed on many major portals.

If you Google, "Kappa girl" in Chinese or English, you will find about 1.5 million references, and that number is rapidly climbing.

Kappa girl has started a blog to cash in on her overnight fame. For 20,000 yuan ($2,940), she will be your ballroom date. And for 30,000 yuan more, she will be a spokesperson for brand name underwear.

As an advocator of Internet freedom, I have no praise to offer, nor do I point the finger at Lin, or someone else, for uploading the video to the Web. In fact, if you read various websites, or Kappa girl's blog, you will find a balanced number of admirers and abhorrers.

Still, the public response is a little disturbing. It is understandable for there to be a certain degree of curiosity, especially when it comes to such seductive content, but the obsessive attention given to the topic means public thirst for such subjects cannot be satisfied elsewhere.

Perhaps, that is also why many young netizens rushed to the Kappa store at the Shanghai Oriental Shopping Center on Nanjing Road, trying to catch a glimpse, or snap a picture of their heroine or hellion.

Pornographic websites are illegal in China even though China produces 80 percent of the world's sex toys and adult shops are everywhere - including places they should never be.

The Kappa girl madness has clearly shown that sex education in our schools has failed, despite a sexual revolution among mainstream society.

Many parents and teachers still consider it taboo to talk to their children about sex, leaving the adolescents to feed their curious minds through cyberspace. The saying, "If we don't take control of the battleground, someone else will", could not be more apt in this case.

It is unknown as to whether Kappa girl is a victim in this scenario, or an actress hired by some commercial interest hoping to get more hits. For years, websites with sexual imageries have been among those with the highest number of visits.

Businesses, too, know just how much sex sells, which is why they use it to promote their products. Sexually provocative advertisements are commonplace on the streets, in the subways, and on TV.

Even the major Internet portals I access daily for serious news set aside space for sex-related content.

I am not proposing a ban on sexual topics. They should have the right to exist, but only in the right places.

It is wrong for an adult shop to be located next to an elementary school and for young children to watch movies with sexually explicit content, but it is most offensive to see sexually provocative advertisements placed in obvious and unavoidable places on the page; the sexual icons often appear at the top of the page rather than at the bottom.

Because the relevant draconian laws and regulations regarding sexually provocative content are ineffective, I am suggesting a rating system for major websites as well as movies and books, which do not currently exist in China.

Kappa girl's instant rise to fame has also set a bad example for our children. Her actions teach them instant fame is achieved by foul play - not hard work or determination.

As the public continues to be hypnotized by Kappa girl, we ought to question what is wrong with society and think about the lessons that can be learned from this episode.

chenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/22/2008 page4)