Douyin vlogger goes viral for tips on urban living
A screenshot of Douyin vlogger Working Girl Zhang's "How to..." series episode 2: How to see a doctor alone.
A short video blogger, known as "Working Girl Little Zhang," has gone viral on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, for offering practical advice on utilizing urban facilities, earning the moniker "the expert of social survival."
Zhang Mengzhen, a native of Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, has amassed one million followers in a month for the "How to..." video series.
The series consists of instructions on basic social situations, such as how to take the Metro, visit the doctor alone, and place orders at McDonald's or Starbucks.
A screenshot of vlogger Working Girl Little Zhang's Douyin account
The first four episodes of Zhang's "How to..." video series
The comments have been largely positive. One Douyin user wrote, "You really have saved a wallflower like me who also lacks life experience!" Some add additional materials to the videos or offer ideas for the next segment.
Some of the comments posted on the episode 3: How to take the Metro
"Not everyone was born and grew up in big cities with high-speed railways and planes. I hope to share some experience for those who are new to urban life," Zhang said.
"My videos might not cover everything, what I try to say is that don't be afraid to face anything you haven't been exposed to."
These life-tip videos focus on young people's "fear of showing timidity" as they make their way into society.
The National Bureau of Statistics says that China has a floating population of about 376 million people, most of whom move from countryside to cities.
Zhang's growing popularity is largely attributed to the fast spread of Internet in rural areas.
According to the China Internet Network Information Center, China's rural Internet penetration rate was 58.8 percent in 2022, and the user base for short videos touched 963 million with an annual growth of 28 million.
