Reality farm show reaps a good harvest

Becoming a farmer might seem like an unlikely route to stardom, but for the members of Shi Ge Qin Tian — or Ten Hardworking Men — it has been a path to fame.

The agricultural reality show Zhong Di Ba (Let's Farm) has captivated audiences, blending entertainment with hands-on farming. Now in its highly anticipated third season, the show has returned to streaming platform iQiyi and Jiangsu Satellite TV.

The pop idol group first gained recognition in the show's debut season in 2023, when they rented about 10 hectares of farmland and spent 190 days tackling various farming challenges — from planting and harvesting crops to selling agricultural products through livestream promotions.

In the new season, the 10 young members have ventured into multiple rural areas, including Ningxiang in Hunan province and Linkou county in Heilongjiang province. Along the way, they have expanded their agricultural knowledge, learning how to produce red salt, harvest sea-buckthorns, and raise black-and-white spotted pigs.

Beyond its entertainment value, the show carries deeper social significance, leveraging celebrity influence to highlight China's rural vitalization efforts in the digital age, commented some critics.

One such example is the group's initiative in Nangqian county, Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture, where they helped local farmers promote Brassica rapa, a plant with both culinary and medicinal uses. With their efforts, this lesser-known product has reached a wider market, bringing new economic opportunities to the villagers.