Chinese Post-00s Youth Don’t Visit Cinemas
Chinese post-00s (those born in 2000 and after) are some of the most interesting creatures to learn about. Their habits, hobbies, and product preferences are different from other generations. I was a bit surprised to learn that they don’t visit cinemas that often. But then when I reflect on my post-00s cousins, I think this is true.
Movie-Goer Demographics are Changing
Based on statistics from Cat Eye Movie (猫眼电影), in 2018, there were already signs that post-00s don’t visit cinemas as often as the other generations. Statistics show that, among Chinese people who went to cinemas during summer holidays from 2016 to 2018, the percentage of people who over 35 is increasing, yet the percentage of people who below age 24 is decreasing.
In 2019, the average age of this cinema visitors reached 29 for the first time, and people who between the ages of 30-34 became the main consumer group.
2020 was not an ordinary year for anything, including cinemas. After the lockdown from January to March ended, people flooded to cinemas because they finally could. During last year’s summer holiday, the percentage of movie goers below 24 increased from 29.5% in 2019 to 39.4%. But that’s it. In the following National Holiday and the Spring Festival, there was no rise in the number of post-00s visiting cinemas.
The average age of cinema visitors from 2017 to 2019 were 28.25, 28.73 and 29.18. Though in 2020, the number decreased to 28.8, but that’s only because the end of lockdown made people want to go out and partake in lots of activities.
Why Cinemas Lost Their Charm for Chinese Post-00s?
Post-00s have different ways to fill their leisure time
According to a survey by Qi’e Zhiku (企鹅智库), when post-00s and post-05s were asked what they liked to do in their free time, the top six were online chatting, browsing web pages, watching videos, playing mobile games, shopping (both online and offline) and doing sports. None of them was watching movies in cinemas.
The lockdown also changed people’s habits of watching movies, especially for Chinese post-00s, who have known the Internet since they were born. Being unable to visit cinemas, the young generation started sourcing movies at home. Watching them online costs way less than visiting cinemas, either in terms of movie tickets or peripheral costs generated from this small trip.
Consumers have fewer options for international movies
Because of Covid, many international movies such as Marvel and DC’s movies are postponed until 2022.
Though the quality of domestic movies is getting better, young people are more attracted to international ones. And that’s why if the movie is not super popular or buzzed-about on social media, they won’t go to cinemas to kill time.
Chinese Post-00s Prefer Escape Rooms and Murder Mystery Games
We’ve talked about escape rooms. They serve as a way for young people to escape reality. Post-00s especially like horror-themed rooms as these are better to distract them from daily pressure. Because they are very scary, many people also use it as a way to test their significant other.
Other than escape rooms, murder mystery games are also very popular among young people. In this game, players will be given a script in which at least one person is murdered. Every player is assigned with a character and the goal is to find out who is/are the murderers.
Other than these, spas, gaming, kitten cafes, trampoline centers, haunted houses and home parties are popular entertainment activities among post-00s.
Read more: 电影院失去00后
