Opinion | My guilty pleasure: Chinese online novels, and why they’re so alluring
- In 2017, the world suddenly realised how much money was in Chinese online literature when a Tencent-owned platform launched a lucrative IPO
- Rachel Cheung was not surprised, having been hooked on the platform’s books for years. Here she gets to the bottom of why they are so intriguing
There is always a story behind the story. This column explores beyond the headlines to reveal the hidden tales affecting cultural and social issues throughout the region.
In a recent crackdown, Chinese authorities recently demanded the removal of content deemed vulgar and inappropriate from online publishing platforms. The move sent the stocks of China Literature plunging – and a novel I have been following for the past two years, one new chapter a day like an addict living for her next fix, disappeared from its platform.
I stumbled upon my first online novel when, too impatient for a television drama to run its course, I looked up its source material on the internet – and finished it in one sitting. It opened the door to the fascinating world of Chinese online literature and before long, I was hooked.
Despite calling itself literature, there is little artistic or intellectual value to most of the novels in the genre. Their vaguely suggestive titles, which are somewhat lost in translation (Busy at Night, Little Bride of an Aristocratic Family, CEO with Good Stamina, to name a few), tend to elicit teases and taunts. So while I buried my nose in these novels, I kept the hobby largely secret.
