In a powerful ad, skincare brand SK-II stands up for China’s so-called ‘leftover women’ (unmarried after 25) with an ad that takes over the marriage market. The ‘marriage market’ are a reality of life in China, where parents go to post ads about their single children. In a society where getting married is seen as a core part of life, the ‘marriage market’ – possibly bizarre for foreigners – is bustling:
Each weekend, mothers, fathers and, in Liu’s case, concerned uncles, come to a sun-dappled corner of Shanghai’s People’s Park to find Mister or Miss Right for their children.
Some write posters by hand listing their offsprings’ vital statistics — height, age, income, education and their hukou or registered hometown — and pin them to umbrellas or shopping bags. Others come with a notebook to see what is available.
Liu is a veteran. He found his son a wife here and they’ve been married for more than a year.
“She’s 1.69 meters tall (5 feet 6 inches) and beautiful like a movie star,” he says. “He was happy to get the introduction.”
‘Sheng nu’ is a derogatory term for women over the age of 25 who aren’t yet married. The film shows how much pressure these women face from society and their parents, and the moment when they all decide to stand up to it.