The music video premiered on April 3, 2020. Media reported that Chan and Tsai recorded and filmed separately, with the final product edited together. The video also incorporated photos of frontline workers worldwide as well as everyday scenes of people coping during the pandemic. [5]
Controversy
The music video drew criticism in Taiwan due to the inclusion of drawings by Latin American children featuring messages such as "China, you can do it" alongside depictions of the Chinese national flag, while no images of Taiwanese medical workers were shown. Some Taiwanese netizens accused the video of serving as Chinese propaganda. On Universal's YouTube channels for Taiwan and Hong Kong, the video received significantly more "dislike" than "like" votes, [6] with angry comments on both YouTube and Tsai's Facebook page. Critics accused Tsai of catering to the Chinese market, with some derogatorily labeling her a "CCP bootlicking artist". Others defended Tsai, arguing that she had no direct control over the music video production and stressing that global unity was more important during the pandemic. [7]
On April 6, 2020, Tsai appeared to address the controversy in a Facebook post, writing:
"At this moment, I feel so small.
No matter how I will be described or shaped in the future, I want to deeply thank you, thank you for pulling me up with all your strength during my limited time on stage, for redeeming me in person, for accompanying me faithfully without leaving.
Maybe one day, suddenly, you will no longer need me, or no longer remember me. I still believe that this too is a gift of life I must accept.
Until then, I will live for myself with all my strength, laughing, crying, singing…
Thank you to everyone who has appeared in the fragments of my life.
May you still remember to sing for your own life today." [8]
China Times defended Tsai, stating that China's donation of medical supplies to multiple countries was factual, and that foreign children drawing the Chinese flag expressed gratitude rather than endorsing political principles. The newspaper criticized some Taiwanese media and netizens for unfairly targeting Tsai and argued that she had not displayed a Chinese flag nor sung lyrics praising China, emphasizing that the music video content was largely determined by Yunnan Television. [9]
