Being “rich” just got way less expensive in China.
A number of online services are now reportedly offering stock, first-person videos that flaunt wealth, which people can buy to post as their own on social media.
These clips, which can be customized with the customer’s voice after purchase, include flaunting supercars, real estate, luxury products, exotic pets and wads of cash, to name a few.
Such services are available on Taobao and WeChat for as low as 6 yuan ($0.90), according to Pear Video.
A supercar video for only 6 yuan ($0.90)
The trend capitalizes on the so-called “zhuangbi,” a slang term referring to pretentious people.
“With 700 videos to choose from, I can fake it for many months and years,” an anonymous customer wrote in a review, according to the South China Morning Post.
Subscribe to NextShark's Newsletter
A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.
Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.
One merchant called “Show-Off Video Dubbing Productions” has a library of more than 2,000 videos, all ready for customization.
Speaking to Sixth Tone, a representative for the merchant claimed that the business generates 10,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan ($1,490 to $2,980) a month, with footage of luxury cars being the most popular.
This screenshot from a stock video shows a woman acting as the customer’s girlfriend. It later shows bundles of cash on the front seat.
Some merchants take it to the next level with offers of fake vacation experiences, including a full English breakfast at a five-star hotel, a beach getaway in Phuket, and a hike on the famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Yunnan.
It’s unclear when exactly such services came to existence, but some claimed that they have already been around for roughly five years.
Merchants also offer fake travels.
The new trend brings to mind what was dubbed as the “Falling Stars” challenge, in which people shot photos of themselves “tripping” from or “spilling” expensive items.
Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.
Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.
We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.