Refer China: New China's Interactive Group Live-Streaming Goes Global, Reshaping Entertainment

Summary: This format turns viewers into directors of live shows via virtual gifts. A billion-dollar industry in China, it's now being replicated abroad, adapting to local cultures while keeping its core monetization model. It highlights China's digital influence on global entertainment trends.

Under cascading lights and falling digital petals, a group of dancers moves to the beat. Yet control of the show doesn't belong to the performers — it's in the hands of the viewers. With a few taps, audiences send virtual gifts and cast real-time votes, deciding everything from the next song to which performer stays on screen.

The landscape of live-streaming is evolving, particularly with group live-streaming sessions in China, which typically feature five online idols performing sexy dances. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote

This is group live-streaming, a format that surged in China after the 2021 suspension of idol survival shows. Today, it's not only thriving domestically but also capturing attention overseas.

Typically featuring five to seven performers, these interactive sessions turn viewers into directors. Their gifts influence song choices, choreography, and even costumes. Viral hits like Everything Grows — famous for its Guanyin hand gesture — have been covered by celebrities such as actress Yang Mi. Boy band Joy-X gained over 10 billion views with their "leg sweep" dance, now regularly drawing more than 20,000 live viewers per stream.

Financially, the sector has become a powerhouse. China's group live-streaming market exceeded 15 billion yuan (US$2 billion) in 2025, with top streamers earning up to a million yuan monthly through virtual gifts and bonuses. In one notable case, streamer Xuanxuan from SK Girls received gifts worth 2.7 million yuan in a single night.

Behind the glamour lies intense effort. Most streamers work over 26 days a month, logging 10-hour days learning choreography and maintaining high energy. After streams end, many continue engaging with fans to build loyalty.

The model's success has inspired replication abroad. Charlie, a Chinese entrepreneur in the U.S., launched the girl group CalixSunset in 2024 using China's group live-streaming blueprint. After an initial investment of around US$100,000, his venture broke even within three months. Streams now attract up to 5,000 viewers each, generating up to US$6,000 per session.

Cultural differences have emerged. While Chinese performers often use beauty filters and lengthening effects, American streamers tend to favor a more natural look. Chinese broadcasts sometimes carry suggestive undertones, prompting regulators to restrict heavy makeup, filters, and provocative choreography. Charlie ensures his performers dress modestly and focus on powerful dance moves.

Additionally, U.S. performers often maintain strict work-life boundaries, unlike their Chinese counterparts who frequently interact with fans after hours.

Despite these contrasts, the core monetization model — the "No. 1 ranking" culture where fans compete to be the top gift-giver — remains effective across markets.

As China's live-streaming industry, valued at over 200 billion yuan, continues to influence global trends, some observers raise deeper questions. As one social media comment noted: "It might be time to reconsider the effects of internet globalization. Fragmented content could gradually lead to a more superficial, homogenized world."

Whether seen as innovative entertainment or a cultural export, group live-streaming illustrates how digital interaction is reshaping entertainment — and how China's models are finding new audiences far beyond its borders.