Statistics indicate that the industry is witnessing a sharp drop in young moviegoers. The proportion of viewers under 25 years old, who were once the dominant audience at 39 percent in 2019, plummeted to 21 percent last year, according to data from movie ticketing platform Beacon. Meanwhile, viewers aged 35 and above have become the mainstay of the moviegoing public, now accounting for 33 percent. This shift indicates that the demographic group most expected to enjoy movies is increasingly disengaged from the cinema experience.

Liu Zhengshan from the Beijing Film Academy echoes the need for the industry to adapt to the changing landscape, where short videos and miniseries are gaining ground.