"Inciting Misogyny" vs "Preventing Romance Scams"... Controversy Over Chinese 'Flower Snake Game'

[Financial News]  An online game gaining popularity in China is being criticized for inciting misogyny.

The British BBC reported on the 7th (local time) that the online game 'Laonuyouxi (Flower Snake Game·撈女遊戲)', which features a 'flower snake woman' who approaches men and takes their money, has become the center of controversy as it topped the popularity rankings on the game platform 'Steam' following its release last June.

This game progresses with the male protagonist responding to women who approach and seduce him for his money. All flower snake characters are female, and provocative lines such as "To see how much a man loves you, see how much money he spends" appear in the game.

Artist Xu Yikun told the BBC that he felt uncomfortable after actually playing the game.
He pointed out, "The game name itself is already misogynistic," adding that "even if a boyfriend is rich or a woman just dresses up, the term 'flower snake' is attached."

There are opposing views as well. Fans of the game argue that it has a role in preventing romance scam victimization. The game creators also changed the game name to 'Romance Scam Prevention Simulator (Emotional Anti-Fraud Simulator)'.
The production team explained, "There was no intention to target women. We just wanted to have an open conversation about the emotional boundaries and gray areas of modern dating."

In fact, as of 2023, the crime damage caused by romance scams in China amounted to 2 billion yuan (about 381.3 billion won).

An incident that seems to have inspired the game occurred. Last year, a man committed suicide after being economically exploited by his girlfriend. Afterward, the neologism 'Laonü', meaning 'flower snake', began to be widely used in China.

Despite the controversy, this game continues to maintain a top position, surpassing last year's big hit in China, 'Black Myth: Wukong'.

The BBC pointed out that in the social atmosphere of China, where traditional gender roles are emphasized and there is even suppression of gender equality activists, such games with discriminatory elements are feared to further reinforce existing gender norms.

y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter