SOCIAL
Taiwan night market serves up viral dance
Swinging side-to-side to a Chinese ditty, young Taiwanese perform the viral ‘kemusan’ dance at a night market competition – Copyright AFP Sam Yeh
Sean CHANG
Swinging side-to-side to a Chinese ditty, Taiwanese teenagers and kids performed at a recent night market competition, showing off their loose-limbed moves while executing the viral “subject three” dance that has taken social media by storm.
The competitors included young men in leather jackets and high-tops, siblings matching in denim jackets and sunglasses, and even dancers improvising with pop-and-lock hip-hop moves.
But all stuck to the original spirit of the “kemusan” dance — translated as “subject three” in Mandarin — which calls for dancers to look like they are almost twisting their ankles, as they flick their wrists rapidly to traditional Chinese music mixed with disco beats.
“My impression? Lots of slippery motions,” said Chang Feng, a bemused homemaker who came to Taipei’s popular Ningxia night market with her daughter to watch the aspiring trend-setters on a small stage.
Nearby, diners waited for oyster omelettes and Taiwan’s famed stinky tofu at food stalls, with curious onlookers wandering over to check out the dancers.
“Seems like all the kids know how to dance kemusan — it’s a trendy thing I suppose,” Chang said.
The dance is believed to have originated from Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, with avid users jumping on the trend by performing their versions of it, drawing millions of views.
Even businesses have tried to capitalise on it — like popular hotpot chain Haidilao, whose employees twist and jerk their limbs when customers order “kemusan”, according to online anecdotes and videos posted on Douyin.
Fifth-grader Nancy Wu said she learned it from the platform.
“We also dance it at school. It has a demonic attractiveness to it,” the 10-year-old told AFP with an impish grin.
– Dance controversy –
But the infectious music and jaunty moves have come with a dose of controversy — some Taiwanese users on Facebook have accused the night market organisers of using the dance as a Chinese propaganda tool to brainwash Taiwanese youth.
Self-ruled Taiwan held an election this month, in which China’s claim over the island was a dominant talking point among the presidential hopefuls.
The winner was independence-leaning president-elect Lai Ching-te, who has been slammed by Chinese officials as a dangerous separatist.
Now political chatter appears to have migrated into the territory of viral internet dances as well.
“Looks like this is Douyin night market in mainland China,” commented one user on the post advertising the competition, which drew more than 230 “thumbs up”.
Lin Ting-wei, chairman of Ningxia Night Market Association, told reporters that Thursday night’s dance competition was purely for commercial profit.
“We are using music and dance to try to increase consumer spending and promote Ningxia Night Market to the younger generation,” Lin said.
“This event is very straightforward. Don’t associate too much with it.”
SOCIAL
Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?
In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.
The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.
According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.
Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.
Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.
The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.
This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.
Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.
As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?
Only time will tell.
SOCIAL
Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach
While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.
When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.
“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.
Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.
“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.”Â
“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.
“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.
Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.
SOCIAL
Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement
Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.
As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.
That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.
Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.
That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.
Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.
Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.
We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.
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