Chinese online saga: tracking down deadbeat Dad

Recently came across this running drama (apologies if it’s been covered to death elsewhere); I’m so cynical these days about online reality that it did cross my mind that it’s a very clever, extremely well acted online soap opera masquerading as a real situation.  However, it does seem real since one of the clips is a TV interview.  It’s one of the oldest stories in the world, unfortunately: boy meets girl, girl gets pregnant, boy decides to move on, girl is faced with a serious dilemma and a child is born. In this Youku video posted last week and titled Get the image of this runaway man transmitted to every corner, a Chinese girl named Yi Youran has taken matters into her own hands.  The latest video in a series begun last fall, has gotten over 300,000 views on Youku alone.

It opens with video of the man, his name, birthdate, university and graduation date, and posts his address and ID card number.  We see wedding photos of the two of them (often taken, as was the case here, before the actual wedding takes place) and she explains that they had a falling out in early 2006, but she had already decided to have the child and the father’s name was on the hospital records.  In September 2006 she posted her first online video on the subject, and her case has been in the mainstream media since then.  However, all her
efforts at publicity have not resulted in getting the man’s family to
contribute financial compensation for the child, or to get the father
to recognize the child. It’s clear from her comments that she’s been carrying on a conversation
online with commentators on various BBS–she specifically mentions
Nanjing Xici Hutong.  She’s posted photos of the baby online, “so his
father could see him,” and she’s clearly opened up a public debate
about the morality of both his inaction and her going public online.

As of today she has a total of 6 videos on Youku, the latest posted 2 days ago and titled: They say they”ll definitely help me find Lu Jun, filmed in the hallway of a private investigation company.  She says she’s gotten help from all over the country–but she still can’t find him.