Chinese women spend top dollar on male model shoots, turning staged romance into viral trend
Por Zoey Zhang — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Trending in China People & Culture Trending in China Chinese women spend top dollar on male model shoots, turning staged romance into viral trend
These commercial models and online influencers command fees based on their appearance, height, follower count, and acting ability
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Zoey Zhang Published: 10:00am, 1 Oct 2026
A growing number of young Chinese women are paying for romantic photo shoots with male models, seeking a brief taste of love through a novel form of emotional companionship.
This trend has gained significant traction on mainland social media, with customers spending up to 8,000 yuan (US$1,200) for an hour-long session featuring couple-style poses, including hand-holding, embraces, staged kisses, and even touching the models’ abdominal muscles.
In July, lifestyle blogger Xue Dinge spent 4,520 yuan on a 30-minute romantic photo shoot with two male models.
In a cosy studio setting, the photographer guided her and the models through intimate poses, including face-holding and forehead-to-forehead shots.
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