CHONGQING – Whenever undergraduate Chen Xi, 20, has a personal or school-related problem, she turns to her favourite “digital relatives” on social media app Douyin, instead of her biological family, for comfort.
She finds solace in short videos posted by actors simulating online calls between loved ones. Her favourite is one where a pair of pretend-parents tell their viewers – or “children” – that they are proud of them, no matter what they have achieved in life.
“‘I love you’ are words that my biological parents have never told me in real life. Their focus has always been on my studies, and making sure I’m not lagging behind my peers. We don’t have an emotional connection,” said Ms Chen, who studies economics and lives in the southern city of Guangzhou.
The trend of “digital relatives” has come into the spotlight in China as Chinese New Year, the country’s largest festival and typically a time for family gatherings, draws near.
It was one of 2024’s top internet phenomena, according to a China Youth Daily editorial on Jan 11, and has gained traction quickly after being first reported in March 2024.
Join ST’s Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
