People's Republic of Desire

A generation of young Chinese have come of age on social media, where virtual relationships are replacing real-life human connections. Online showrooms are the most popular gathering place for hundreds of millions—attracting China’s super rich (who lavish virtual gifts on their favorite performers) and the poor, many of them migrant workers in urban areas searching for cheap entertainment and a way to feel connected. These two groups never cross paths in real life, yet in the digital universe they band together to worship online idols who earn as much as $130,000 a month singing karaoke or doing talk shows to interactive audiences.