Chinese Dating Site TV Ad Promotes Being Forced Into Marriage

The Chinese dating company Baihe recently aired a commercial with the theme “Because of love, do not wait” which showed an elderly grandmother persistently nagging her daughter to get married. The perception of being held hostage by their families to get marriage enraged many netizens who viewed this practice as backwards.

The ad also encouraged people to visit Baihe’s “stores” for in-person matchmaking services, which offered real person services for those who distrust online dating, a field previously dominated by traditional matchmakers. Netizens also criticized the “stores” for commoditizing marriage.

Comments on Sina Weibo:

球球是圆的：

I cannot help but say this commercial is promoting an irresponsible attitude towards marriage. Marriage is only for oneself, and finding someone suitable, with a similar upbringing, with the same values, with a matching personality is not easy. The foundation for a marriage is economics and love, and every marriage without these two points will only end in tragedy. Why get married? Should you be in a hurry to get married just because of a parent/household elder’s expectations? Whether you get married or not, you should listen to your own heart, as a good marriage comes from waiting.

木樨科：

If she didn’t get married, her grandmother might live a little longer…

烂夏天：

I feel that woman would say while being urged to get married: “So, I went on Baihe.com, found a woman I truly love…grandma, actually, I’m a lesbian!”

孔府小鱼：

It’s this retarded commercial! Thinking a female’s goal in life is to get married? To forcibly find a husband just to satisfy her family’s needs, is this fair to the other person? How is this different from bowing to the words of matchmakers from their conservative parents?

邵大福：

Isn’t this Baihe.com? Isn’t Baihe for lesbians?

Bonnymeishu：

Such a filial girl, who for her family, went to a brick and mortar store and purchased a husband, what else does this store sell? Looks like as long as they make money, even a harem is possible!

鸡脑子ff：

Right, I’ve gone before. At the store, the lowest was 20,000 RMB a year, while the most expensive was 498,800 RMB a year, hehe, and they even said they have people who can investigate the other party’s level of income, such liars!

70小街601__考研奋斗中：

This SB commercial discriminates against women. Whether one gets married or not is their individual freedom. After this many years after liberation, can we just do away with the feudal-style forced marriages? Or are we going to start fining and punishing people if they don’t get married?

fuck-off-style：

They should add a scene at the end where the grandma asks: are you pregnant yet?

喵的神奇：

We all know that young people are watching TV less and less now, this commercial’s main goal is to brainwash parents.

白框：

This lousy commercial, using family love to hold people hostage [emotional blackmail], my family is currently in this situation, where not getting married = no value in existence, not being filial, that my mom did not raise me properly, that I went to school for nothing, studied for nothing. During [Chinese] new year’s, my dad’s male friend pointed at me and labeled me unfilial, said I am selfish. My dad even played songs at home with lyrics about being filial to one’s parents. Being at home, I just wanted to throw up. It’s so difficult to go back for the new year holiday for a visit, only for it to be made into something like a [Cultural Revolution] denunciation/struggle session.

0张小鱼0：

The store allow you to choose anyone, and if after using them for a few days, you can return them!

我心永叔-火山：

So the stores are in the business of male prostitutes?