Little fresh meat explained

Little fresh meat is a Chinese Internet buzzword used to describe handsome young men. It is most commonly used to refer to male celebrities, particularly rising stars.[1] [2]

Positive impact

Star power and commercial value

This term has been widely used as a selling point by Chinese entertainment agencies in defining a star, and often helps the star in gaining more fans.

Box office

Films featuring "little fresh meat" have done well at the box office, in return for some of these films' low production cost. This is due to the devout fanbase of the stars.[3] In particular, the media coined actor Lu Han's massive influence among his followers as the Lu Han effect, which helped achieve high ratings for the television drama Fighter of the Destiny in spite of poor reviews from critics.[4]

Diversification of label

The popularity of "little fresh meat" have allowed the media to create new representations of male beauty on screen, thus diversifying the type of characters portrayed by actors in television and films. Males who possess delicate and feminine features are no longer met with contempt or ridicule.[5]

Negative criticism

High salaries

It has been reported that the high salaries demanded by some "little fresh meats" have caused a detrimental impact on film profits.

Unprofessional attitude

Some of the "little fresh meats" have often been criticized for their lack of acting skills, causing their films to receive negative reviews and online backlash. Li Yifeng was panned for not mastering the Beijing dialect for his role in Mr. Six, and received criticism for winning the Best Supporting Actor award at the Hundred Flowers Awards, which sparked a "Popularity vs Talent" controversy.

Other common unprofessional behaviour exhibited by "little fresh meats" include getting stand-ins to replace them in certain shots. Due to their popularity, they also tend to juggle multiple projects and do not give adequate time for each role, instead hiring stand-in look-alikes to replace them in shots that do not require close ups.[6]

Quality

In the media

Empowerment of women

The phenomenon has contributed to the rise of girl power. Women have always been used as an object of appreciation, but now men are also receiving the same treatment. Feminist Lü Pin said: "I think the phrase is a symbol for the possibility of diversification. In the past the mainstream was old men [dating] young women, but now matches of people of different ages are being accepted."

As the term "little fresh meat" has been used by women to express their desire/hunger for young, good-looking men, a psychologist stated that it is a progress for women to recognize their sexual needs and self-gratification in the otherwise restrained society in China.[9]

Comments by entertainers

Chinese Swimmer Ning Zetao said that he wouldn't want to be called a piece of little fresh meat. "I don't like this nametag," he said.

Commercial trends

The popularity of the "little fresh meat" has also resulted in a change in beauty and cosmetic companies, which have increasingly begun to use young male celebrities to endorse their products instead of female celebrities.[10]

People associated with the title

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Top 10 young-faced male celebrities in China: Forbes. 15 May 2015. China.org.cn.
  2. Web site: Little Fresh Meat. 28 January 2016. South China Morning Post.
  3. Web site: 'Fresh meat' gets young fans rushing for the latest movies. Shanghai Daily. 31 May 2015 .
  4. Web site: New TV drama 'Fighter of the Destiny' looks to take advantage of 'the Lu Han effect'. April 20, 2017. Sina Corp.
  5. Web site: How 'Little Fresh Meats' Are Winning China Over. Sixth Tone.
  6. Web site: Twilight of the pretty boys. 21 November 2016. China Daily.
  7. Web site: Box office bubble. 9 August 2016. Sina.
  8. Web site: PLA Daily slams 'little fresh meats' for portraying soldiers on TV. 26 November 2016. People's Daily.
  9. Web site: Why Are Women in China Obsessed with 'Little Fresh Meat'('小鲜肉' 'Xiao Xian Rou')?. 9 October 2016. Women of China.
  10. Web site: "Young Fresh Meat" Men in China the New Face of Women's Beauty Products. 15 July 2016. The Nanfang.
  11. Web site: Li Yifeng: China's tastiest piece of 'fresh meat'. 3 August 2016. Sina.
  12. Web site: Voices cry out in terror over Chinese 'Star Wars' ambassador Lu Han. Sina. 4 January 2016.
  13. Web site: 4 gorgeous Little Fresh Meats who are the top Chinese Flower Boys. DramaFever. 16 November 2016.
  14. Web site: How 'Little Fresh Meats' Are Winning China Over. Sixth Tone. 7 August 2016.
  15. Web site: 鹿晗领衔2014娱乐圈最受欢迎的十大人气小鲜肉. 5 June 2016. Sina.
  16. Web site: https://m.enterdesk.com/bizhi/44545-252523.html.

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