Soul Zhang Lu’s Research Shows Chinese Gen Z’s Balancing Digital and Real Worlds

Soul Zhang Lu

China’s Gen Z is breaking away from traditional molds, exploring fresh ways to connect, and redefining their emotional narratives. Because Zoomers will dominate workplaces and society at large in the near future, it is important to understand this shift in generational perspectives. So, the CEO of Soul Zhang Lu got the research wing of the social platform to compile the “2025 Gen Z Social Trend Report”.

It paints a vivid picture of a generation unafraid to challenge norms and enjoy the offerings of both the offline and online worlds. The report also explains how Gen Z is flipping the concept of materialism on its head, turning it into a pursuit of joy.

To compile this report, Soul Zhang Lu’s team relied on the survey responses from over 11,000 platform users and user-generated content. Researchers from Soul and Fudan University’s Center for Communication and State Governance Research worked jointly to prepare this report, and some of their observations were quite surprising.

Soul Zhang Lu

For instance, singlehood among Gen Z is more than a status—it’s a statement. For women, it was emblematic of a conscious choice to opt for personal growth and career advancement over the traditional model of domesticity. In contrast, for men, the lone wolf status was often a result of financial instability and a soured past relationship. 

Despite the allure of singlehood, the dream of romantic love persisted. Hashtags like #IWantSweetLove saw a 41% surge in engagement in 2024, with over 3.59 million discussions surrounding romantic aspirations. The survey conducted by Soul Zhang Lu’s team revealed that challenges such as communication gaps and small social circles often hinder these aspirations.

As far as socializing was concerned, Gen Z, as expected, was very comfortable with digital interactions. Still, while they appreciated the idea of online companionships, they placed just as much emphasis on maintaining boundaries. The idea for these youngsters is to have a dependable companion without the pressures of excessive closeness.

This has led to a rise in the search for “Always there friends” or Gu Liao (guaranteed chat partners). In fact, so comfortable are these youngsters with this concept that nearly 70% of the participants who responded to Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers admitted that they preferred confiding in their Gu Liao over romantic partners.

Although Zoomers want to have a heart-to-heart chat occasionally, they have also realized that words are not always needed to create a sense of bonding or even companionship. They have figured out that sometimes, just knowing someone is there is enough to give the heart the comfort it seeks.

This realization has led to the popularity of #SilentConnectLive. As per Soul Zhang Lu’s team, the hashtag garnered over 800 million views, signaling the growing popularity of this unusual form of quiet connection.

SilentConnectLive

For those who don’t know what SilentConnectLive is all about, it is about being logged on to the platform and going about life while sharing the ambient sounds of existence with others. These sounds could be from nature, the cityscape, or simply a person breathing, humming, or even typing. Simply put, the trend is all about understanding the value of presence.

Also, regarding companionship, most Gen Zers do not discriminate between humans and virtual beings. Yes, some still dismiss artificial intelligence as fake, but most Zoomers are enthusiastic about interacting with digital beings.

Some are so optimistic that AI companions may be the optimal solution to deal with Gen Z’s loneliness. The survey respondents generally stated that these digital beings can offer consistent support and a judgment-free space for emotional expression.  These views are consistent with the immense popularity enjoyed by Soul’s AI companion feature, which engaged nearly 1.3 million users in 2024.

Chinese Gen Z

When looking into the buying habits of Gen Z, Soul Zhang Lu’s team found that youngsters do not mind spending on products that offer emotional fulfillment instead of practical value. The “kidult (kid-adult) trend that has taken the world by storm is a result of this shift in purchasing behavior.

Collectibles, including plush toys and anime merchandise, are flying off shelves for this reason. While reconnecting with the innocent and simple joys of childhood through these kiddie toys appeals to youngsters, they are just as excited when splurging on happy experiences.

Whether travel, hobbies, concerts, or outdoor sports, Zoomers are willing to invest in all these pursuits because they aim to derive happiness from the money spent. This also ties back to another observation made by the team of Soul Zhang Lu. This one was about Gen Z’s quest to re-enchant themselves with life.

Undeniably, Zoomers face unsurmountable pressures, and despite all the resources at their disposal, disenchantment does set in at some point. The generations before them dealt with this disenchantment simply by grinning and bearing it.

But Gen Z is not the one to take things lying down. They are getting out there and trying to actively replace this disenchantment with a newfound love for life, a life that they want to reclaim and live on their terms.  

This led the researchers from Soul Zhang Lu’s team to conclude that Zoomers will, in time, create a world that is just right for them. The innovative approaches they take as they go through this journey will leave an indelible mark on the fabric of society, changing how Gen Z and the coming generations communicate, love, work, and live in the future.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *