Material girls have invited criticism in China this year after popular dating shows have highlighted their blatant materialism and warped social values when pursuing a relationship. For them, true love is all about numbers and brands. No matter how humorous or handsome a potential suitor is (not that men should be judged on these aspects, either), what really matters is if he owns an apartment and luxury car.
One such woman, Ma Nuo, a 22-year-old model from Beijing, has been under fire after she told a jobless man who tried to woo her on Jiangsu TV's popular dating show, "If You Are the One," that she would rather cry in a BMW (than smile on the bicycle of her true love).
Other matchmaking programs include Hunan TV's "Take Me Out" and Zhejiang TV's "Run For Love." They are often filled with unmerciful sarcasm and heated arguments that attract millions of viewers, though some female contestants' blatant materialism has sparked widespread criticism.
China's media watchdog, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, issued a stern notice in June, banning "incorrect social and love values," such as money worship, humiliation, verbal and physical attacks and vulgar content implying sex on television dating shows.
