The Story of Lelush: Russian Guy Can't Leave China's Produce 101!

  • Because the fans keep voting him through every elimination despite him pleading them not to and now he's going to the final!


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    https://sputniknews.com/societ…g-pop-sensation-in-china/


    "Russian Man Taken 'Hostage' of Unwanted Fame After Becoming Pop Sensation in China

    SOCIETY13:02 GMT 19.04.2021(updated 13:03 GMT 19.04.2021)


    Fame, accolades, and glory is what many participants of talent shows are after, but for a resident of Vladivostok, the glamorous life of a pop idol has turned into a personal hell with no apparent way out - and his immense popularity is to blame for this predicament.


    Vladislav Ivanov, a 27-year-old Russian man, has become a celebrity in China ... and he is not happy about his fame at all.


    The young man from Russia's Far East came to China for studies and just like many students, he took up a part-time job - in his case, as a translator on the popular Chinese TV show Produce Camp 2021.


    The show's organisers found themselves looking for a new competitor and they turned to none other than Ivanov, who accepted the offer, thinking that he'd be kicked out in a matter of weeks.


    What he could not have imagined was that the public would simply love his amateurish, unemotional performances, which only propelled him further to the finals.


    Alas, his contract binds him to stay on the show or else he would be obliged to pay a hefty fine - an article of the contract Ivanov, who is now known under his stage name Lelush, apparently did not read closely.

    The poor guy is now forced to continue entertaining the public, even despite numerous interviews in which he said he is feeling trapped and called the show "cringe". One of the songs he performed was even called "Let Me Go Home".

    Some social media users have started the hashtag #FreeLelush, concerned about the man's mental wellbeing.


    The final of Produce Camp 2021 is slated for 23 April. The winner will be offered a contract to become a members of a boy band."

    Why do I watch survival shows? This!

  • WJHEFBSKJGHFD THE FACT THAT HE SANG A SONG CALLED "LET ME GO HOME" AND THEY STILL VOTED HIS ASS INTO THE FINALS

    :pepe-life-support::pepe-clown-gear:


    IKR!? This so crazy.


    He looks like he has gone viral across Asia.


    https://ione.net/lelush-cua-sa…kieu-toc-bet-4264859.html


    https://m.afamily.vn/sang-tao-…nha-20210416153643973.chn


    Imagine if he makes the debuting team!!!


    I guess since he's from the Russian Far East on China's border, he's technically Asian. But not sure the first Russian in major nation-level Asian BG should be a guy who doesn't want to be an idol.

    Why do I watch survival shows? This!

  • they've taken him hostage! :-D


    I always laugh when he says don't vote for me haha

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  • Whatever happens in the final, Lelush is pretty much set with his fame even without debuting. I hope they vote in someone who wants to be there, the final lineup is too important to carry on this craziness.


    https://www.rt.com/russia/521428-lelush-hostage-china-show/


    "It’s not clear if the demands of the social media users will be heard. Some reports suggest that Lelush would eventually have an option of not signing the contract to join the boy band even if he is among the winners.


    The young man has already said that he was not planning to leave China when he finally parts ways with Produce Camp. His dream was to start a Russian-style clothing brand in the county – and this is where his fame could really come in handy."

    Why do I watch survival shows? This!

  • He's number 10

    Just leave the show. It is that easy. Unless his company does not allow him to do so.

    He can't simply quite without paying a penalty!


    "Alas, his contract binds him to stay on the show or else he would be obliged to pay a hefty fine - an article of the contract Ivanov, who is now known under his stage name Lelush, apparently did not read closely."

    Why do I watch survival shows? This!

  • Damn, that must suck for him. I mean he clearly stated that he did not want to continue the path of becoming an idol, so I can't imagine how he must be feeling.

    work in progress

  • Damn, that must suck for him. I mean he clearly stated that he did not want to continue the path of becoming an idol, so I can't imagine how he must be feeling.


    That's the problem. People want to "reward" him for being so honest and "ordinary. " Lol.


    I think their mindset is who wouldn't want to bd an idol? They might truly think that once he got into the final lineup, he'll like it.


    But his situation is really different from than any of the other idol trainees.


    "Being a popstar was apparently never Vlad’s goal, and has publicly said that the show is “such a cringe.” He came to China to study to become a designer at the Shanghai University.


    A student is always in need of money, so the handsome Russian had been taking up all the jobs he came across, including work as a model, a cosmetics salesman and a teacher of Chinese to expats. The latter role got him on Produce Camp where he had been helping the Japanese competitors as a translator and a tutor."

    Why do I watch survival shows? This!

  • He's number 10

    He can't simply quite without paying a penalty!


    "Alas, his contract binds him to stay on the show or else he would be obliged to pay a hefty fine - an article of the contract Ivanov, who is now known under his stage name Lelush, apparently did not read closely."

    Yeah pretty much contract obligations his company signed. I wondered how Kazuma left though. Maybe everyone is under different contract terms.

  • Details of his story is so interesting!!!


    https://www.scmp.com/yp/discov…lly-became-pop-star-china


    "How Ivanov got his start

    Ivanov was a part-time model and translator fluent in English and Chinese. His friend Ivan Wang, who works with many artists, asked him to be a chaperone and Chinese translator for two Japanese artists on the competition show.


    Produce Camp 2021 is filmed on a man-made island off the coast of Hainan, China’s southernmost province. When Ivanov arrived on the island with the two Japanese artists, the staff mistakenly thought he was a contestant.


    “I originally came here to help my two Japanese friends learn Chinese. The director knew that I can speak Chinese and my appearance is OK,” he said. Ivanov has made it clear that the show’s director persuaded him to join.



    “Free Lelush”

    Ivan Wang told Chinese blog yuci-er that Ivanov doesn’t like being on screen.


    “One time, I got him a modelling job in Hong Kong. He sent me a message saying he couldn’t stand it – five minutes after arriving on set,” Wang said.


    Ivan says Ivanov only joined Produce Camp 2021 “after getting bored on the island. He thought joining the show could also help change his introverted personality”.


    As the show continued, Ivanov did not want to carry on with the endless rounds of singing and dancing – but he did not want to pay the expensive fee to leave the show.


    To convince audiences not to vote for him, Ivanov purposely has a messy hairstyle and often doesn’t fully answer questions on the show. To his disappointment, his number of fans keeps growing, and he now has more than 840,000 fans on Weibo.


    Billboards supporting him have started appearing in shopping centres across China.


    But social media users in Russia have started a “free Lelush” campaign. They accuse Tencent for holding him hostage because he can’t leave the show.


    After reaching the final, Ivanov said on Weibo that he was afraid of being forced to be in a boy band.


    He said, “Appearing on the show [and] being in a boy band are two different things. I believe the judges will respect my choice.”


    Good news for Ivanov: he was finally voted off in the show’s season finale. Posting a picture of himself to his Weibo account, he said “Thank you for all your support. Finally, I can knock off work.” "

    Why do I watch survival shows? This!

  • Some social psychology is at work here too! Just a remarkable set of events and a remarkable person who doesn't want to be remarkable!


    https://www.vice.com/en/articl…-show-chuang-lelu-russian


    "Tainn Na, a Shenzhen-based entertainment vlogger, said many of Lelush’s voters were taking joy in gaining control of another person’s working life. “People are not able to get off work because of their own bosses,” she said. “On this show, they became bosses and were able to exploit others. They could experience the fun of being capitalists themselves.”


    Some social media users say they like Lelush because his refusal to work hard is a symbol of ordinary people’s passive resistance to social pressure to keep up.


    043CADCF-DD59-4923-8B25-632797E6E5E9.jpeg


    None of that was fun for Lelush.


    “I feel so scared,” he said in an episode aired this month, after being told he ranked No. 10 before the finale. The top 11 contestants would form a pop group at the end of the show.


    “I believe they [fans] will respect my desire not to join the group. I believe they know where the boundary is.”


    Following the heartfelt plea, Lelush’s fan club relented and said they would stop organizing bulk-voting for the star. His ranking soon dropped to 17th. At the end of the finale aired over the weekend, Lelush, having finally lost the contest, trotted backstage.


    “Thanks for everyone’s support. I finally get off work,” Lelush said in a Weibo post on Sunday.


    Fans congratulated him on the loss, but many say they still feel sad to see him go.


    “Lelush finally got off work, but I still need to go to work tomorrow,” a commentator said. "

    Why do I watch survival shows? This!

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