At this year’s China Joy expo in Shanghai, booth companion Li Ling was booted from the show after appearing in a revealing outfit. This was the latest China Joy crackdown on companion outfits — a crackdown that swung into full force last year.
But what are the booth companion regulations Chinese game makers must adhere to? And how does China Joy know which game companies are breaking the rules?
As the Global Times points out, the dress code bans bikinis and backless outfits. Miniskirts and hot pants cannot be worn below the hip, and underwear is required. That’s right, underwear is required — a few years back, some China Joy booth companions appeared in outfits that appeared to be underwear-free.
Game companies who employ booth companions at China Joy must sign contracts that they agree to the dress code. Failure to comply means the game companies could be fined or banned from future China Joy expos. To enforce these rules, show organisers send between 30 to 40 staffers patrol the show floor with digital cameras.
That’s probably why when Li Ling appeared at the show in her skimpy outfit, the game company that hired her told organisers that the Ling brought the outfit to China Joy. Ling thinks she was thrown under the bus, telling the Global Times, “It was my job to wear this.” China Joy organisers punished both the game company she worked for and the model agency.
“Some people just want to promote themselves at this event,” Yu Kun, who works for the China Joy organisers. “Because adolescents make up our primary audience, we do not want to send them the wrong message.”
Don’t be surprised if China Joy has even stricter regulations next year with more patrols and even swifter punishment.
China Joy to fine agencies over dress code [Global Times]
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