TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Ultra-patriotic Chinese blockbuster “The Battle at Lake Changjin" (长津湖) has been popular partly because of a promotion that gamifies propaganda.
Free movie tickets have been given to those who scored high marks on an app that teaches Xi Jinping Thought (習近平思想). The “Study Xi, Strong Country” (學習强國) app offered a service for users to exchange points for "Changjin Lake" movie tickets, according to WhatsonWeibo.
The movie tells the Chinese version of the Korean War and centers on the battle of Chosin Reservoir. This is a man-made lake where the People's Liberation Army first attacked United Nations troops and entered the war on the side of the North Korean communists.
“Considering 'The Battle at Lake Changjin' was made with government support and guidance, it is perhaps unsurprising to see that Chinese state media have also been actively promoting the movie on social media in various ways,” wrote analyst Manya Koetse.
“Since long before the premiere of 'Changjin Lake,' state media outlets including People’s Daily and Xinhua have consistently featured news relating to the movie through their channels,” she added.
The app is one such channel. In an earlier report on the app, Koetse described it as “a multi-functional propaganda tool.”
It gives users a variety of ways to study Xi Jinping Thought, Chinese Communist Party history, Chinese culture, history, and other topics. It includes a “recommended reads” section that focuses on Xi's quotes and other propaganda material, along with a quiz page updated with new quizzes every week, per WhatsonWeibo.
