Chinese livestreamer who rose to prominence for his drinking problems is found dead after slaying ghosts
Chinese live streamer Brother Three Thousand, who rose to prominence for his drinking problems, is found dead after drinking seven bottles of liquor
- The 34-year-old drank the drink last Tuesday during a live stream
- He was found dead 12 hours later, sparking calls for stricter rules
A Chinese live streamer who rose to prominence for his drinking problems has been found dead shortly after drinking excessive amounts of alcohol on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
Brother Three Thousand, 34, knocked back at least seven bottles of baijiu liquor during a live stream last Tuesday.
He was found dead 12 hours after the broadcast, Chinese media reported.
Baijiu contains up to 60 percent alcohol. The livestreamer, whose surname was revealed as Wang by local media, was known to drink the Chinese liquor during his broadcasts.
A video that has gone viral on social media shows him drinking several bottles of baijiu liquor and pouring some out to set it on fire on the table.
Brother Three Thousand (pictured), 34, drank at least seven bottles of baijiu liquor during a live stream last Tuesday
His death was widely discussed online in China and has led to calls for stricter regulations on the country’s booming live-streaming industry.
On May 16, Wang had participated in four one-on-one battles with influencers with the aim of earning as many gifts as possible from fans in a short period of time.
He lost three of the rounds and then consumed baiju as punishment, totaling at least seven bottles that night according to viewers.
Wang ended his live streaming after midnight. His friend told a Chinese news outlet that he was found dead the following afternoon.
“When his family found him, he was already gone. He wasn’t even given the chance for emergency treatment,” a man named Mr. Zhao told Shangyou News.
His funeral took place on Saturday.
Drinking during live streams is banned by Douyin, with penalties ranging from warnings to users being restricted from live streaming matches and shown on the app.
Pictured: The livestreamer, whose surname was revealed as Wang by local media, during a broadcast in which he was dejected and set fire to some of the liquid on the table
Wang was previously banned from the app for drinking, but he circumvented this by opening new accounts, Chinese media reported.
His most recent account had amassed more than 44,000 followers.
A report from authorities last year found that more than a billion internet users were active on short video platforms such as Douyin and that the industry is worth around 199 billion yuan (£22 billion).
Wang’s death has led to further pressure on the safety and regulation of such apps.
The opinion section of the People’s Daily newspaper posted a message on Weibo condemning “going off the rails of live streaming behavior.”
There are a number of Chinese live streamers whose deaths have been linked to their online work.
In 2021, Yu Hailong, who became popular for eating massive amounts of food on Douyin, died after “long hours of intense work,” his agent said.
In 2018, live streamer Dafei, who was known for drinking alcohol and cooking oil in front of an audience, also died shortly after an online broadcast.