HONG KONG — A racy scene in the hit TVB drama The Radiant City has ignited public outrage and prompted an official complaint process after a character stripped fully nude during a prime-time, family-friendly broadcast slot.
In Thursday night’s fourth episode, actress Jeannie Chan, who plays reporter Sarah Ho, removed all her clothing to demonstrate loyalty to tycoon Hau-hin, portrayed by Julian Cheung. Before the revealing moment, Chan’s character handed over a mobile phone containing incriminating files on Hau-hin, collected by colleague Annie (played by Hera Chan). The sequence, which shows Sarah slowly unbuttoning her shirt and discarding her underwear, was designed to portray her submission as a pawn in Hau-hin’s scheme.
The scene aired during the 9:30 p.m. slot, a period when many families with young children are still watching television. That timing has drawn sharp criticism from public figures and viewers alike.
On Friday, actresses Louisa Li and Lau Nga-lai used their online program to denounce the scene, calling it inappropriate and questioning whether it should have been approved for broadcast during hours when minors could easily be exposed to such content.
“This is not about prudishness—it’s about responsibility,” Li said during the broadcast. “There are established watershed hours for adult content for a reason. This was reckless.”
The controversy has now reached regulators. The Communications Authority confirmed Friday it had received 28 complaints, with 25 specifically targeting Thursday’s episode. A spokesperson said the cases are being processed according to standard procedures.
This is not the first time TVB has faced backlash for provocative content in a mainstream drama. However, the explicit nature of this scene marks a notable escalation, particularly for a series positioned as a glossy city drama rather than an adult-oriented production.
Chan, meanwhile, has defended her work in a separate interview, revealing she spent nine months training to achieve the physique required for the role, which she described as the boldest of her career.
The incident highlights an ongoing tension in Hong Kong’s broadcasting industry between creative freedom and content regulation, especially as streaming platforms with fewer restrictions continue to erode traditional TV audiences.
The Communications Authority has not announced a timeline for its review. Depending on the outcome, TVB could face fines or directives to adjust its editorial practices—though past cases have rarely resulted in severe penalties.
For now, the debate over what belongs in the family hour continues, with parents’ groups and industry insiders watching closely to see whether regulators will take a firmer stance in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
