Shanghai’s Extravagant New Year’s Eve Drone Show Was Pre-Recorded Days Prior

The stunning drone fireworks show in Shanghai was actually just a pre-recoding.

BBC reports the entire drone fireworks show, which received praise for its more eco-friendly and modern alternative to traditional fireworks, was pre-recorded days earlier, a media manager told BBC News. The show was filled with 2,000 drones that all came together to make firework designs, a running man, planet figures, 2020, a countdown clock, and Chinese characters. Central China Television, the country’s public television channel, released a video celebrating the performance and claimed the drones captured audiences on the night of New Year’s Eve.

But sike, it wasn’t. According to the BBC, a media manager for the company behind the display, Yihang Bailu, admitted that it was actually filmed on Saturday, December 28. The official also said it was arranged by local TV station Shanghai Dragon Television “to ensure the global live broadcasting effect.” While everyone at home was content with the viewing, people who actually showed up for the performance were disheartened and bamboozled.

“This blows my mind because it’s 100% Chinese fake news,” one Twitter user said. “We stood outside last night for a show that never happened lol.” Another user wrote, “I was in the Bund on New Years Eve right in that time and nothing happened,” Twitter user Abraham Perez wrote. “All the drones display is fake.”