The first episode of the Chinese edition of "Lip Sync Battle," a popular U.S. contest show, became available for streaming on Chinese streaming website Sohu TV and was aired on Shenzhen TV on Friday, according to a joint release by the two media outlets on Jan. 22, as reported by the Global Times.
In the press release, Deng Ye, a Sohu TV representative, stressed that the new show is an important part of the website's efforts to work with broadcaster Shenzhen TV to co-produce entertainment shows.
"Lip Sync Battle" will be the very first lip-sync show in China. It will feature three competitive rounds, along with short videos, wherein competitors dub classic video clips.
The show's first episode is set to feature singer Han Geng, comedian Qiao Shan and actress Liu Yan as guest stars.
Deng explained that Sohu TV is sure that the series will do well considering that lip syncing is similar to shuanghuang, a traditional Chinese performance wherein one person speaks or sings while another person moves accordingly.
Shenzhen TV and Sohu TV also announced that they plan to launch the third season of the Chinese edition of "The Amazing Race" late in 2016.
"Lip Sync Battle" is a highly successful franchise that is currently in several countries like the United Kingdom, Chile, Canada and Indonesia.
The show's first version, the one in the United States, began as a spin-off from a segment of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." In the bit, Fallon's guests would lip sync songs of their choice and perform them in front of the studio audience.
When it was turned into a full-blown show and picked up by the cable channel Spike, much of the original concept stayed the same. However, the show has become known for having elaborate sets and production numbers.
The show has also been known for generating a large following online, with netizens awaiting to hear about what happened on the latest episode.