Why young China viewers are increasingly drawn to dating shows featuring older contestants

A new Chinese dating reality show that features a group of single people aged about 50 has become a nationwide hit, sparking discussions about love and desire in the lives of the middle-aged and elderly.The show by tech giant Tencent’s WeTV, Forever by Your Side, was first aired in December 2025, and was branded as “mature singles braving the world of love”.It invites five men and five women around the age of 50 to travel together from Dali in southwestern China’s Yunnan province, a city known for romantic encounters, to Thailand and observes the chemistry between them.The “Forever by Your Side” reality show takes its mature participants on a romantic journey from China to Thailand. Photo: thepaperLike other reality shows, the show also features “ordinary people”, although all the participants are middle class with successful careers.They include a former fashion director of a prestigious Shanghai media outlet, a former business director of an internet firm, an architect, a head of a university department and a company director from the United Kingdom.The show specially marked their age in its promotional materials, but the spectators remarked that they all look much younger than their age.The show was an instant hit.