What is 'emotional value'?

Why young adults are driving demand

Are people buying comfort and companionship?

Climbing Mount Tai with a companion

A revolutionary shift in Chinese society

China has a new buzzword: Emotional value. It is used to explain everything from blind box obsessions and AI companions to why young people are hiring strangers to climb mountains with them. In this episode of the CNA Correspondent podcast, Genevieve Woo and Correspondent Krystal Chia explore the rise of China’s emotional economy and examine what this growing search for comfort and connection reveals about modern Chinese society.

China has a new buzzword: Emotional value. It is used to explain everything from blind box obsessions and AI companions to why young people are hiring strangers to climb mountains with them. In this episode of the CNA Correspondent podcast, Genevieve Woo and Correspondent Krystal Chia explore the rise of China&rsquo;s emotional economy and examine what this growing search for comfort and connection reveals about modern Chinese society.

Teresa Tang dissects the biggest global news stories. Our host speaks to CNA correspondents on the frontlines to bring you behind-the-scenes of their dispatches from Asia and the world.

The views and opinions shared during this podcast series are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. or its group of companies.

Teresa Tang dissects the biggest global news stories. Our host speaks to CNA correspondents on the frontlines to bring you behind-the-scenes of their dispatches from Asia and the world.
The views and opinions shared during this podcast series are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. or its group of companies.

CNA Correspondent

Our host speaks to CNA correspondents on the frontlines to bring you behind the scenes of some of the biggest global news stories from Asia and the world.

Our host speaks to CNA correspondents on the frontlines to bring you behind the scenes of some of the biggest global news stories from Asia and the world.