Hit travel reality show ventures abroad to Laos

HAHAHAHAHA puts spotlight on railway that brings guests between countries with ease, Li Yingxue reports.

After school classes finish, 17-year-old Khan Sing usually heads to Xinhua School in Luang Prabang, Laos, for his usual Chinese lessons, but today is different. The class welcomes two special guests — Chinese actor Deng Chao and rapper After Journey.

The duo teach the students to sing the Chinese song Tomorrow Will Be Better, with some of them quickly learning to sing it fluently.

Khan also has an arm-wrestling match with 45-year-old Deng and wins. "I think Deng was stronger; he was letting me win. Interacting with him was incredibly exciting and made me very happy," Khan says.

This Chinese program is part of the fourth season of the outdoor travel reality show HAHAHAHAHA.For the first time, the show has ventured abroad with Laos as its first stop.

Guests traveled along the China-Laos Railway, visiting Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane, the capital of Laos. During the trip, they explored morning and night markets, went rafting and diving, interacted with backpackers from around the globe, chatted with local Chinese merchants, and played basketball with local students learning Chinese.

The show premiered in March on Tencent Video and iQiyi, with weekly updates, and will conclude in June. It features the journeys of actor Deng Chao and Chen He, singer and actor Lu Han, comedian Wang Mian, rapper Dong Baoshi, and former soccer player and coach Fan Zhiyi, as well as occasional guests.

The Laos segment has already aired, and the show topped the Guduo Media online variety show popularity index in April, making the places that guests visited in Laos popular hot spots for young tourists.

Khan saw his interaction with Deng on the show and recalled the class as an unforgettable one. He has been studying Chinese for two years and is working hard for a chance to study in China.

Although he hasn't been to China yet, Khan hopes to study international business at Wuhan University in the future. "I hope to return to Laos after my studies and work in China-Laos trade," he says.

Khan learned about Xinhua School from his older brother, who, after learning Chinese, started working with Chinese people locally.