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YouTube streamer Darren "IShowSpeed" has found his name involved in a debate over his ongoing IRL (in real life) tour of China. For those unaware, the streamer has been touring the nation since March 24, 2025, and has already hosted several streams in cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzen.
Despite receiving mostly positive feedback from the online community, some have speculated that Speed's IRL tour may have been "curated" by the Chinese government to promote the nation to the West. For instance, a user who goes by @MurrayShinaide on X had this to say when reacting to Speed testing the EHang EH216-S in Shenzen:
"I suspected it before, but now I'm sure of it - the Speed China visit is being curated by the government to show off China to young westerners. No regular tourist would just show up and have all these chance meetings and opportunities fall in their laps."
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However, IRL Twitch streamer Jake "JakenbakeLIVE" rejected this claim, stating that Speed had a viral first stream in China, which possibly led to companies reaching out to him to show their products (including EHang's EH216-S):
"He’s not a regular tourist… his first stream popped tf off and got attention of the entire country. This probably led to companies and local agencies reaching out to help assist with content - which is a win-win for a creator."
Which cities did IShowSpeed visit during his China tour?
Despite speculation surrounding IShowSpeed's streams in China, the tour has proven to be a viral sensation so far, with each stream racking up millions of views and featuring several viral moments as well as click-worthy highlights. So far, Speed has visited these cities:
- Shanghai (March 24, 2025)
- Beijing (March 26, 2025)
- Zhengzhou (March 28, 2025)
- Chengdu (March 31, 2025)
- Chongqing (April 2, 2025)
- Hong Kong (April 4, 2025)
- Shenzhen (April 5, 2025)
- Changsha (April 7, 2025)
Some of these streams have also sparked viral moments, including a few controversial ones. For instance, during his stream in Chengdu, a female stream sniper dressed in cosplay approached Speed and made some seemingly racist remarks.
China is renowned for its cutting-edge technological advancements, especially in the automotive space. IShowSpeed was left in awe when he got to ride in what he called a 'flying car' — the EHang EH216-S, an autonomous aerial vehicle.
Earlier in that same stream, he also took a ride in BYD's Yangwang U8, an innovative SUV that can float on water.
The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. acknowledged IShowSpeed's tour in China, expressing appreciation for his efforts to highlight and showcase the country's diverse culture.
