Can Hollywood Recapture Its Box Office Magic in China?

Within dark cinema halls, Hollywood once found great success in enticing Chinese moviegoers to open up their wallets. That’s since changed, however, with one expert citing the rise of the local film industry as a driving factor. 

“There was an expansion of movie theaters, not only in first tier and second tier cities, but also in third tier cities,” says Professor Hou Yiyang, who specializes in Chinese cinema studies at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University, adding that audiences in second and third tier may be less inclined to read subtitles of the latest Hollywood blockbuster.   

In 2023, locally-produced films occupied the top 10 spots for the year’s China box office, with the overall box-office grossing 7.7 billion USD. That marked a significant improvement on 2022 but still continued to lag behind 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, where ticket sales reached over 9 billion USD.  

As we near the end of 2024, this year’s biggest Hollywood title has been Legendary’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire with 132.2 million USD — according to Box Office Mojo, a website that tracks global box-office figures.

Pre pandemic boom years

The Chinese version of 2012’s sci-fi action thriller Looper, which starred major Hollywood actors including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, and Bruce Willis, featured specific scenes filmed in Shanghai, in a bid to appeal to Chinese moviegoers. The film was originally planned to be partially set in Paris, but after Chinese production company DMG Entertainment decided to get on board, the script was changed to bring the action to Shanghai.

Looper provides an illustrative example of how, prior to the pandemic, Hollywood often went out of its way to position its films for success in China. In 1994, China set a quota on the number of foreign films at 10. Around 20 years later, in 2012, that number increased to 34. Films that are co-productions between American and Chinese studios, however, aren’t included in that total.    

“If you wanted access to the Chinese market, you had to share your technology and, in many ways, your intellectual property. And so given the size of the market, companies generally agreed to do that,” states USC Dornsife Professor Stanley Rosen, an expert on Chinese films in Hollywood.       

Hollywood blockbusters, such as Warcraft, The Fate of the Furious, and Geostorm all grossed signifcantly more in China than they did in the United States. In the case of Warcraft, it performed nearly five times better, representing a reliance of some films on the market. Warcraft made 225 million USD in China. 

“I think there was an incredible curiosity, fascination, [and] pent up desire to consume foreign products,” explains Professor Michael Berry, the director of the Centre for Chinese Studies at the University of California.   

One notable co-production between Legendary Pictures and China Film Group was Matt Damon’s 150 million USD starrer The Great Wall. The film was a box-office bomb in the US but ended up making in excess of 170 million USD in China, indicating a clear appetite amongst Chinese moviegoers for big budget spectacles featuring foreign stars. 

Alongside Matt Damon (pictured), The Great Wall also featured faces familiar to Chinese audiences, including actress Jing Tian and Hong Kong actor Andy Lau. Image courtesy Legendary Pictures.  

Updated storytelling methods

In October 2018, Sony Pictures released Venom, an origin story based on one of Spider-Man’s greatest foes. Starring Tom Hardy, it went on to collect 269 million USD in China’s box office alone, representing about 31% of what it made around the globe.   

As Berry explains, a lot has changed since then. He adds that Chinese audiences are seeing films from their film industry employ Hollywood storytelling methods and visual effects of an international standard, while still presenting stories that their audiences can strongly resonate with. 

While the strident Chinese nationalism of 2017 smash hit Wolf Warrior II meant its appeal was mostly limited to local audiences, its explosive action scenes matched those of its Hollywood competitors. To enhance the film’s action, the Russo Brothers, best known for directing Marvel films like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, were involved as consultants. The pair also arranged for their stunt team to elevate the film’s action sequences.   

So how much has the emergence of higher quality Chinese blockbusters changed the market? In 2024, the final film in the Venom trilogy, Venom: The Last Dance, only made 82.8 million USD in China during its first 18 days of release. 

Wolf Warrior II’s primary villain is Frank Grillo, the film’s only American actor. Image courtesy CMC Pictures.

Looking ahead

In early November 2024, Donald Trump defeated rival Kamala Harris in the US presidential election. 

Experts believe that a second term for Trump in the Oval Office will likely mean that Hollywood will not return back to its glory days in China anytime soon. 

But the impact of how much this directly affects China’s box office for Hollywood movies remains to be seen. Berry agrees, “Politically, we are not there yet, and I don’t know when we might get back there, but I think it’s a long road ahead.” 

Banner image by Jay Ganglani. 

Documentary Chinatown Cha-Cha Brings Chinese American Dancers Back “Home”

In late October, a unique group of dancers began their tour across China. 10 Chinese American women, aged 60 to 90, members of San Francisco’s Grant Avenue Follies dance troupe (都板街舞团) have come to China to promote Chinatown Cha-Cha, a new documentary that shares their stories. 

The film marks the first feature-length documentary by visual artist and filmmaker Luka Yang. Six years ago, Yang traveled to San Francisco for an artist residency, where she aimed to document the personal histories of Chinese performers in America, hoping to uncover stories that went beyond those of well-known figures like actress Anna May Wong. There, she met Coby Yee, a dancer in her 90s who would become the protagonist of her film.

Coby (bottom left) with family and friends in San Francisco. Image via Chinatown Cha-Cha.

As a first-generation Chinese immigrant, Coby felt disconnected from the Cantonese opera her parents loved; she preferred jazz and tap dancing. However, opportunities to showcase her talents were limited by the racial prejudices prevalent in mid-century America. Though she dreamt of performing in Hollywood, Coby could only dance professionally as part of troupe at a Chinatown club. Using sewing skills passed down from her mother, she crafted elaborate costumes for herself and her peers, resisting the exoticized gaze cast upon Asian performers.

Coby’s passion for dance endured through the decades. After retiring, she and her friend Cynthia Yee (no relation) founded the Grant Avenue Follies, a group of mostly single, retired Chinatown women dedicated to dance. Despite years of facing discrimination, they found joy and resilience in performing, gracing nightclubs, festivals, competitions, and charity events with their talents.

A young Coby in an outfit of her own design. Image via The Paper.

Their stories inspired Yang deeply. She accumulated footage and memories that eventually blossomed into this feature documentary. Over time, she formed close bonds with the group. Shortly after Coby passed away at age 93 in 2020, Yang discovered she was pregnant. While finishing the film, she was diagnosed with cancer, a challenge she faced with the courage she drew from these women. She has remarked that meeting them has strengthened her resilience in life.

Chinatown Cha-Cha trailer.

Chinatown Cha-Cha had its world premiere in the “Hidden Dragon” competition at the 2024 Pingyao International Film Festival in September, receiving critical acclaim. Though the film’s screening tour wrapped up over the weekend, it is now showing on wider release in cinemas around China, giving viewers in the country the chance to experience the spirit of the Grant Avenue Follies and San Francisco’s Chinatown in decades past.

Banner image via Chinatown Cha-Cha.

Singles’ Day and How China’s E-commerce Giants Shape One of the Biggest Shopping Events

Singles’ Day, celebrated today on November 11, has evolved from a niche, student-led “anti-Valentine’s Day” movement in China into one of the world’s largest shopping events. Originating in the 1990s as a way for university students to celebrate being single, this holiday has since been transformed by e-commerce giants into a consumerist phenomenon rivaling and ultimately surpassing similar shopping days found in the West, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Powerhouses of China’s e-commerce landscape, such as Taobao, Tmall, and JD.com, have long been at the forefront of this retail event. In 2024, the competition is intensifying, with sales kicking off almost a full month earlier than in previous years. The business strategy to start early is designed to streamline the purchasing process, preventing the traditional midnight frenzy where servers are overwhelmed and users battle crashing sites. By spreading the promotions and discounts across weeks instead of a single 24-hour window, platforms aim to not only enhance user experience and reduce transaction bottlenecks, sustaining consumer engagement over a more extended period, but also to simply drive revenue.

The evolution of Singles’ Day reflects the rapid development of e-commerce in China. In the early 2010s, the event was already setting records as brands and consumers flooded digital marketplaces. For instance, in 2012, Alibaba’s Singles’ Day sales surpassed the combined totals of Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States. By 2017, Alibaba reported a staggering 25.3 billion USD in Singles’ Day sales, significantly outpacing the 14.5 billion USD combined sales of Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the US that year.

A meme shared by HR influencer 韬哥在walking humorously depicts the unexpected collaboration between Jack Ma and Tony Zhang. Image via Xiaohongshu.

E-commerce company Alibaba introduced yet another groundbreaking change this year by integrating WeChat Pay as a payment method on its proprietary shopping platform Taobao, which was previously oriented around the use of Alibaba’s own digital wallet system, AliPay. This move marks a significant shift in China’s digital payment ecosystem. 

Historically, Alibaba and Tencent maintained distinct boundaries in their competition for market dominance. However, enabling WeChat Pay expands convenience for consumers who prefer using Tencent’s ubiquitous messaging and payment app, thereby potentially drawing more traffic to Alibaba’s platforms. 

As a content creator known for tech and smart home insights, 木木学长, wrote on the caption for a Xiaohongshu post, “Wow! You can actually pay with WeChat on Taobao! This is also great! In the past, every time the money in WeChat had to be transferred out to pay on Taobao, which was really troublesome. Now, one can jump onto WeChat to complete the transaction by directly selecting WeChat payment on the order page, which cannot be more convenient.” This change highlights the quick adaptation that e-commerce platforms in general are making to remain competitive and demonstrates the evolving nature of Singles’ Day to cater to consumers’ needs.

Xiaohongshu user 封欣1w年 shared a picture of some of her Singles’ Day purchases.

However, not all users have found the change beneficial. Another Xiaohongshu user, 繁繁, noted, “Not all merchants have WeChat payment, and some merchants still can’t use WeChat to pay. I just tried it today.” While new integrations bring convenience, their adoption may not be immediate or widespread — showing the varied experiences of consumers as e-commerce platforms continue to evolve.

The enhanced payment flexibility, combined with a longer promotional period, emphasizes the continuous innovation driving Singles’ Day. But it also demonstrates the challenges of uniform adoption and users’ willingness to adapt to new features. By allowing payments through both major financial ecosystems, WeChat and AliPay, Alibaba broadens its reach, appealing to a wider base of customers who value seamless integration across apps. Singles’ Day 2024 not only underscores the scale of China’s consumer market but also showcases how competition propels the nation’s e-commerce sector to push boundaries. As these platforms refine their business strategies, this annual shopping event continues to evolve and push the boundaries of global e-commerce.

Banner image via SEO China Agency.

Chinese Tourists Are Sharing Bathroom Codes on Xiaohongshu

When we think about travel tips shared on social media, bathroom codes might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, finding and sharing access codes for toilets in international locations has become an unexpected sensation on popular lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu. Chinese netizens have created a growing community around collecting these bathroom access codes, turning a basic need into an online phenomenon that bridges cultures and highlights surprising differences in global bathroom etiquette.

In China, public bathrooms are generally free and easily accessible, whether in shopping centers, parks, or transit hubs. However, in many other countries, accessing a public restroom can require payment or an access code, often found on a receipt from a nearby café or restaurant. For Chinese travelers unaccustomed to this, the cost and inconvenience can be frustrating and bewildering. These differing expectations have sparked a wave of Xiaohongshu users to share international restroom codes, enabling their fellow travelers to sidestep fees and ensure a smoother journey.

Xiaohongshu user zyf shares a London toilet code. Image via zyf on Xiaohongshu.

One popular Xiaohongshu post might detail a Starbucks restroom code in Paris, while another lists the combination for a mall restroom in Tokyo. Travelers contribute by updating these codes regularly, as they often change to prevent unauthorized access. But the community on Xiaohongshu is persistent; they are eager to help fellow Chinese travelers avoid the surprise of locked restrooms and the associated costs. As a Chinese netizen humorously commented, “In a word, as long as you open up the Chinese internet, the whole world’s toilet passwords are under your control.”

Another netizen expressed their frustration with a funny yet logical hypothetical scenario: “If I have diarrhea, do I have to queue up to buy something and get the password before I go poop? Wouldn’t I have already pooped in my pants?” This comment, equal parts humorous and exasperated, reflects the confusion many feel when encountering locked bathrooms in situations where time is of the essence. The idea of being required to make a purchase in a moment of urgency feels absurd to travelers who come from a country where toilet access is seen as a public right.

The popularity of these posts reveals an interesting cultural divide. In many Western countries, where some business owners perceive bathroom access as a security issue, charging for use is seen as necessary for maintaining cleanliness and upkeep, while in China, free restroom access is considered a public service. The need for bathroom codes feels alien to many Chinese tourists, and the online community’s response reflects a blend of curiosity and amusement. The phenomenon also speaks to the digital age’s unique solutions to everyday travel challenges.

Ultimately, this trend showcases how Chinese netizens use Xiaohongshu not just for product reviews or lifestyle tips, but also as a tool for navigating cultural differences abroad. For some, these shared restroom codes are a small but meaningful resource, turning a basic human need into a playful, community-driven solution. And who knows? Next time you find yourself in a pinch in an unfamiliar city, you might just find your bathroom code on Xiaohongshu.

Banner image via Xiaoyang’s London Diary on Xiaohongshu.

Trump Wins US Election as Chinese Netizens React

Trump won the US presidential election with a decisive victory, securing 295 electoral votes so far and a second administration. The Republican’s political rival, Kamala Harris, garnered 226 electoral votes. Vote counts in Arizona and Nevada remain pending. The race was closely followed in China, with netizens extensively discussing the results on platforms including Xiaohongshu.

The election also resulted in a sweeping victory for the Republicans in down-ballot races. They gained full control of the Senate, winning 52 seats as compared to the Democrats’ 44. Republicans are also poised to potentially retain control of the House of Representatives. At the time of publication, they had secured 206 seats, closing in on the 218 required for a majority. Governorships also flipped to Republican control — dramatically reshaping the political landscape.

The election hinged on a few critical swing states, namely Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Trump’s success in these states, along with his strong performance in Florida and Texas, played a crucial role in his overall victory. Meanwhile, Harris gained support in traditionally Democratic states like New York and California, ensuring a competitive race that kept voters and those interested from around the world engaged until the end.

The political map of the US, showing how both US presidential candidates fared. Image capture via Google. 
The no. 1 trending topic on Xiaohongshu, with nearly 950 million views.
A netizen stating if one doesn’t want war and conflict, it’s better to support the Republicans. Image via Xiaohongshu.

On November 6 (China Standard Time), as results began to come, the election became the top trending topic on the popular social media platform Xiaohongshu. On Xiaohongshu, there were nearly 950 million views of content related to the US election. While this figure exceeds Xiaohongshu’s purported monthly user base (sometimes cited as around 300 million) and would constitute a significant portion of China’s entire population, the level of engagement still underscores broader interest in the election, especially considering that only around 244 million people in the US were eligible to vote.

Chinese netizens closely followed election results, displaying a strong awareness of races in key swing states like Pennsylvania. This level of engagement from China in response to such a significant voter population is remarkable, with many users well-informed about the dynamics at play.

There was a mix of opinions regarding the election results. Many congratulated Trump on his victory, praising him for his commitment to reducing global conflict. Meanwhile, others recognized Harris as a groundbreaking figure for women in politics.

Trump’s victory could trigger major shifts in foreign policy, particularly regarding trade and diplomatic relations with China. As the world watches closely, the implications of the election extend beyond US borders, influencing global politics. The coming years under Trump’s administration are likely to see complex negotiations as both domestic and international stakeholders respond to the evolving landscape of American foreign policy, fundamentally altering the US role in global alliances and diplomacy seen under President Joe Biden.

Banner image via PBS.

I Ching with a Side of Gin? Chinese Drinkers Head to Spiritual Bars

You may have seen the phrase “taking C (coffee) in the morning and A (alcohol) at night”  (早C晚A zǎo C wǎn A) trending on Chinese social media as the latest lifestyle motto. Morning coffee wakes you up, while an evening glass of wine eases the mind and helps relieve anxiety. But what if you’re still feeling anxious?

This is when divine guidance comes into play. A widely shared phrase online, “Between going to work and going forward, I choose incense,” captures a newfound spiritual slant amongst some Chinese youth, who are turning to new takes on ancient rituals to improve their fortunes. For young people choosing incense over work, spiritual sessions offer a form of alternative therapy, a temporary escape from daily pressures. And naturally, the healing effect is amplified when the session is alcohol-infused. 

Bobo’mo serves as a key site for this lifestyle. Nestled on Shanghai’s tree-lined Changle Road, this newly opened café/bar offers two essentials: coffee from 11 am to 6 pm and alcohol afterwards. Since its opening in the summer of 2024, Bobo’mo has gone viral on Xiaohongshu. But it’s the third “essential” that truly draws in young crowds: I Ching hexagram readings. With every cocktail order, guests receive a complimentary reading session.

Bobo’mo’s slick interior. Image via Sanyi Sheji on Xiaohongshu.

The entrance is subtly lit, with a warm light highlighting the pathway inside, oozing an inviting yet mysterious atmosphere. Inside, the owner, Xiaoyu Shen, explained the hexagrams to each table. Like tarots, I Ching hexagrams offer a glimpse into one’s future, with each hexagram holding specific meanings and divination texts. Customers toss three coins to form a six-line hexagram, each revealing insights based on ancient Chinese wisdom. 

For Shen, pragmatic questions like “When will I get rich?” reflect desires that tend to deepen one’s concerns. Instead, he encourages customers to clear their minds and release any thoughts before tossing the coins.

“The right person will come into your life soon,” Shen reassured one young woman, glancing at her coins.

A spiritual accent in Bobo’mo’s interior decoration. Image via Sanyi Sheji on Xiaohongshu.

To another, he offered, “This hexagram suggests humility and a low-key approach, focusing on your work with dedication. In doing so, you may find recognition and appreciation coming your way.”

In recent years, referencing the Daoist Wuxing (the five traditional Chinese elements) in cocktails and providing customers with spiritual practices like tarot readings, astro dices, and hexagrams have emerged as new gimmicks for enticing people into bars. Spotted in Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Chengdu, and beyond, spiritual bars are booming across the country. These bars have become a new entertainment option for anxious and stressed-out youth — who are evidently a growing demographic. 

Chinese Gen Zs are increasingly obsessed with spirituality. According to travel websites, in the first quarter of 2023, tourists seeking spiritual experiences increased by 367%. Nearly half of these tourists were born after 1990. On Xiaohongshu, the hashtag “spiritual practice” has amassed nearly 270 million views, focusing on themes like mindset improvement, self-growth, and inner peace. A recent NetEase survey revealed that 62.05% of people under 30 have consulted astrologers or tarot readers, either online or in person. 

A cocktail at Bobo’mo. Image via Chao shou kong kong de xiao lan chong on Xiaohongshu.

At Bobo’mo, the cocktail menu features five categories based on the five elements from Daoist philosophy: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Each element aligns with a color and flavor — wood for green and sourness, water for black and saltiness, fire for red and bitterness, earth for yellow and sweetness, and metal for silver-gray and spiciness. Customers can choose drinks based on their Bazi (Four Pillars of Destiny), or simply the color of their outfits.

For example, if you wear black, you can choose from water-themed drinks. If fire is the dominant energy in your Bazi, you can pick from the fire category.

This unique concept appeals to spiritual bargoers, especially those who struggle with drink choices. Actually, Shen notes that many of his customers have difficulty making decisions — a fact that might not be entirely unrelated to their search for spiritual guidance.

Shen has since shifted the theme of the bar’s spiritual offerings from hexagram readings to pulse diagnosis, a method used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to assess overall health and energy. The owner explains that focusing on Daoism and Chinese philosophy also helps Bobo’mo avoid regulations against “superstitious content,” which could otherwise threaten the bar’s operations.

A hexagram reading at Bobo’mo. Image via Chao shou kong kong de xiao lan chong on Xiaohongshu.

After seeing posts on Xiaohongshu, Lehuan Lin, a 26-year-old living in Beijing, visited a spiritual bar in her city. “I’m interested in tarot and I Ching, and I love going to bars. This kind of bar perfectly combines my interests, so I decided to experience it myself,” she explained.

Upon entering, she was asked to spin a wheel to get a hexagram. A bar staff member answered a specific question based on the hexagram she got.

However, she wasn’t entirely convinced. “The drinks are decent but nothing special. The hexagram reading only answers brief questions with minimal detail. Overall, I think ‘spiritual bar’ is just a marketing concept aimed at appealing to young people,” Lin said.

Whether you label them as spiritual guides or trendsetters, the owners of these bars are, in fact, savvy businesspeople, with a firm grasp on the psychology of their customers. For young Chinese facing high unemployment and uncertain futures, a positive reading can be a soothing balm.

A suitably new age-y corner at Sip of Oracle. Image via Dian Dian on Xiaohongshu.

“The goal is to offer emotional support alongside the drinks,” said Xingyu, owner of Sip of Oracle, another spiritual bar that opened on Shanghai’s South Maoming Road in August 2024. Like Bobo’mo, this bar cycles between different spiritual themes. Its first theme upon opening was tarot reading. According to Xingyu, the main customer group is college students who often ask about careers and relationships.

In I Ching, each hexagram has both positive and negative interpretations. Of all the hexagrams, only one has an entirely positive meaning. Before opening Bobo’mo, Shen tossed coins for himself. The hexagram result emphasized humility and a modest approach to life. Following the suggestion, he reinterpreted each of the eight trigrams he uses for readings at his bar to highlight only positive meanings. This way, every customer who visits the bar and casts a hexagram will receive an interpretation with a positive message.

“Each hexagram offers some guidance that is beneficial for the present, regardless of which one it is. It’s all about striving upward with a positive mindset,” Shen said.

Banner image by Haedi Yue.