Young Chinese find work as NPCs in theme parks and tourism
Young people in China are increasingly finding employment as 'NPCs' or non-player characters at theme parks and tourist attractions. These roles involve dressing as historical or mythical figures to provide interactive, immersive experiences for visitors.
Why it matters
This trend reflects the creative adaptation of youth in a challenging labor market and the growing demand for experiential tourism in China.
Yao Fancheng plays ancient Chinese poet Su Shi at the China Folk Culture Village in Shenzhen. He makes sure to draw from verses familiar to people of different generations to “ensure that everybody can participate”.
Listen Summarise Theme parks in China are hiring NPCs dressed as historical and mythical characters to create interactive, immersive experiences that attract more visitors. NPC jobs provide young people with employment opportunities amid a tough job market, often as seasonal or part-time roles paying above average wages. The NPC trend is growing but may become oversaturated; however, many performers find satisfaction in engaging visitors and improvising in their roles. AI generated
SHENZHEN – It’s not what most people would want to be called. An NPC, or “non-player character”, is internet slang for someone seen to lack independent thought, a term borrowed from video-game speak.
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