China’s state broadcaster CCTV has come under fire over a short film that romanticises food delivery jobs.
The film told viewers that such jobs offer “the freedom to enjoy the scenery along the way” and “brings delivery workers closer to their dreams”.
Netizens slammed the video for glorifying hardship and suffering, describing it as being tone-deaf to the real struggles faced by delivery workers.
On November 28, CCTV and Meituan, the operator of China’s major on-demand delivery platform, jointly released a three-minute short film about a graphic designer who quits her job to become a food delivery courier.
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The production aimed to promote diligence and convey a sense of positive energy.
In the film, a female graphic designer nicknamed Alan grows tired of her monotonous life and decides to resign to work as a delivery rider.
Set in the scenic town of Dali, Yunnan province, southwestern China, the film features clean, beautiful visuals and portrays the daily life of delivery workers in a fresh, serene and almost idyllic way.