Chinese influencer dies after binge drinking on livestream

A Chinese content creator died last week after livestreaming himself consuming an excessive amount of exceptionally strong alcohol.

The 34-year-old influencer, who goes by “Sanqiange,” was found dead 12 hours after the May 16 livestream on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, according to CNN.

During the stream, he reportedly drank at least seven bottles of Baijiu, a Chinese liquor with an alcohol content of 30% to 60%.

Sanqiange was allegedly involved in an online challenge, called a “PK,” against another creator on the platform.

In a “PK” challenge, two influencers typically compete for gifts or rewards from their audience. The loser faces punishment.

In this case, it appears Baijiu was a consequence of losing three rounds, BBC reports.

“I don’t know how much he had consumed before I tuned in. But in the latter part of the video, I saw him finish three bottles before starting on a fourth,” a friend of the influencer told local outlet Shangyou News, which reported a funeral was held last week.

“When his family found him, he was already gone, he didn’t even get a chance for emergency treatment,” the friend added.

The influencer’s last name was revealed as Wang by local media, and the friend described him as “decent and straightforward.”

The footage went viral across the country’s social media, but is no longer able to be viewed online.

BBC reports Douyin bans drinking during livestreams, and the livestreamer had already been banned from the app for doing that in the past.

Some dangerous online challenges have resulted in fatal consequences, raising safety concerns about livestream apps.

Earlier this year, a teen died after participating in the “Benadryl challenge,” while another child died engaging in the “blackout challenge.”

In 2022, a group of teens jumped in front of moving vehicles in Indonesia in the “angel of death” TikTok challenge.