- Young Chinese are using Chinese Dreamcore, a digital subculture, to cope with current economic hardships by reminiscing about the early 2000s.
- This trend involves sharing nostalgic content like old photos, memes, and retro aesthetics from childhood, serving as a 'digital pain reliever'.
- Chinese Dreamcore resonates emotionally with Gen Z, who feel a loss of familiar past scenes due to rapid societal changes and urbanization.
- Artists and creators contribute through eerie mash-ups, animations, and photography to preserve memories and express subconscious feelings.
- State media warns of risks like existential crises from over-immersion, though it's seen as more superficial than past nostalgic critiques.
- The trend has gone mainstream, appearing in games, ads, and products, while fostering community and healing through shared vulnerability.