Wang Leehom’s China Concert Goes Viral for Having Robot Dancers — The Internet Is Divided

A viral video from a recent concert by Chinese singer Wang Leehom has officially launched the internet into yet another are we living in the future or a dystopian movie? debate.

The singer-actor, 49, performed at his Best Place Tour stop in Chengdu, China, from December 18 to 21 — but it wasn’t just Wang’s vocals that had people talking. Mid-performance, six humanoid robots joined him onstage, dancing in near-perfect synchronization during his song “Open Fire.” Yes, actual robots.

Clips from the concert quickly spread across social media, showing the robots — dressed in matching sequined tops and black leather pants — executing complex choreography alongside human dancers. At one point, several of them even pulled off front flips in unison, which only fueled the collective disbelief online.

The robots are part of Unitree Robotics’ G1 line, developed by the Hangzhou-based company. Each robot stands about 130 cm tall, weighs roughly 35 kg, and is equipped with at least 23 joint motors designed to “simulate human hands to achieve precise operation of objects.” They reportedly have a battery life of around two hours and retail for about $13,500 each.

The performance didn’t just catch fans’ attention — it caught Elon Musk’s too. Reposting footage from the concert, the Tesla CEO simply called it “impressive.”

Others were less sure how to...