Operation Hadal, the only military-themed film released during the Spring Festival, recently held an event in Beijing to respond to a scene which had sparked an online debate.

The film, which fictionalizes the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy's efforts to neutralize a deep-sea threat to national security using a submarine force, has grossed 370 million yuan ($50.6 million) at the box office since its premiere on Jan 29, the first day of the Year of the Snake.

The scene features actor Zhang Hanyu, who portrays the captain of Longjing (Dragon Whale), a cutting-edge submarine. In the footage, as the submarine faces destruction from an accidentally launched torpedo, the captain begins to play a harmonica. Some netizens have criticized this moment, believing the character should have remained calm and focused on leading the crew through the life-threatening crisis instead of playing music.

Zhang explained that the song, titled Chinese Navy Force's Submarines, is meant to symbolize a call to arms, inspiring the entire crew of sailors to regain their faith and confidence.