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Hello TWOC readers!
Hope you had a great Labor Day holiday!
While 300 million trips were made during the five-day break, it seems few of them were to the movie theaters. Despite hopes for a box office rebound in 2025 after a sluggish 2024, this year’s holiday earnings told a different story—revenue plunged over 50% from the same period last year, totaling just 747 million yuan.
There are plenty of reasons behind the slowdown: shifting moviegoer demographics, more entertainment alternatives, and a lack of breakout hits. Still, TWOC editors have picked out four domestic productions from the holiday lineup that deserve your attention.
Read on to find out more:
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This Labor Day holiday slot saw revenue plunged over 50 percent from the same period last year, totaling just 747 million yuan. This sharp decline signals a deeper systemic crisis within the Chinese film industry, where box office success is increasingly dependent on high-profile domestic blockbusters and projects featuring top young celebrities with an established fan base. Read more
Over the last year, academic bars have exploded in popularity across the capital and other major Chinese cities. For many students, recent graduates, and workers, these events promise specialized knowledge and community outside the classroom. For lecturers, they provide access to eager and diverse audiences who bring fresh insights to their disciplines. However, the cost of entry—usually the price of a cocktail—can still be a barrier for many urban residents. Read more
In recent years, China has witnessed a dramatic rise in the “goods economy”—a market where virtual and fantasy-themed products, from anime figurines to digital avatars, are bought, sold, and traded with fervor. But as this once-niche fan culture enters the mainstream, what does its future hold amid growing commercial pressures eager to cash in? Read more
Made In China
Smooth Operator: The Vending Massage Chairs Invading China’s Public Spaces
Over the past decade, vending massage chairs have steadily made their way into public spaces across China. With a quick scan of a QR code, users can recline and let the chair’s soft pleather surface envelop them, as motorized nodes work their way across the neck, shoulders, back, and legs. But a series of high-profile incidents concerning product safety and hygiene, and growing frustration over the displacement of regular, free seating, are fueling a backlash against what might otherwise seem like a harmless convenience. Read more
Chinese You Need
育: The Character That Follows You From Birth
It was Mother’s Day this past Sunday. The annual celebration of motherhood offers a moment to reflect on the often invisible labor of care, teaching, and emotional resilience that shapes our lives from the very beginning. Just as our ancestors worshipped fertility through art and ritual over 30,000 years ago, we continue to recognize the vital role mothers play in shaping our lives today. In Chinese, the character 育 (yù) captures this layered role with remarkable precision: it means “to give birth,” but also “to nurture” and “to educate.” Read on to find out
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