Dating by Proxy: Why Young Chinese Prefer Dating Shows to Real Dates
Discover why young Chinese are obsessed with dating shows as marriage rates drop, how ancient scholars sought knowledge on the road, and what’s driving China‘s intangible cultural heritage boom
Hello TWOC readers!
Over the past decade, dating and marriage-themed reality shows in China have taken off, branching into all kinds of formats. Earlier this year, the country’s first dating show for people nearing retirement age wrapped, sparking widespread online discussion about dating in old age and the associated stigma.
However, the flourishing of these shows stands in a striking contrast with the country’s shrinking real-life marriage rate. Rather than going on dates themselves, young people today seem to “prefer watching other people date,” as many on the internet have quipped.
Controversies have also emerged over scripted plots and participants’ personal lives. After numerous seasons and slightly varied formats of the same show, viewers have grown disenchanted with TV romance, questioning whether there is still a place for real love on reality shows.
Read on to find out more:
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Dating by Proxy: Why Young Chinese Prefer Dating Shows to Real Dates
Dating and marriage-themed reality shows are booming, as real-life marriage rates decline in China. Read more
Roaming Famous Mountains, Wild and Unrestrained: How Ancient Scholars Sought Knowledge on the Road
China’s great philosophers, historians, and poets had one thing in common. They got up from their desk and hit the dusty trail. Read more
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