"My Luxury Bag Is Actually a Fake"...The Trend of Cyber Confession Rooms for Sharing Secrets [World Z Gold]

Expansion of Anonymous 'Cyber Confession Rooms'

Confessions Range from Debt to Trauma

Experts Warn: "Concerns About Justifying Illegal Acts"

Editor's NoteThe Millennial & Gen Z generation (born in the late 1990s to early 2010s) is leading culture and trends in a rapidly changing era, setting new standards across society. [World Z: Now] highlights the lives and values of Gen Z around the world and explores how they are changing society.

On Chinese social networking services (SNS), so-called 'cyber confession rooms'—online spaces where people anonymously share their worries and guilt—are spreading. People are turning to the safety of anonymity to share secrets that are hard to discuss with family or friends, seeking relief from their burdens. However, experts are concerned that this trend could worsen real-life human relationships.

"Because of vanity, I bought a fake Louis Vuitton bag and bragged about it." So-called 'cyber confession booths,' where people anonymously share their worries and guilt on social media, are spreading. Getty Images

"Bought fake luxury goods out of vanity"… Confessions pour in on Chinese SNS

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) in Hong Kong, posts in the form of 'confession rooms' are trending on Chinese social media. The outlet noted, "Younger generations are showing a tendency to rely on online spaces rather than family or friends to share their emotions and fears." It added, "Confession rooms have emerged around specific topics such as marriage, gambling, academic and work-related stress, and there are now spaces for self-reflection on one's 'dark side' based on MBTI personality types or astrological signs."

The method of participating in these confession rooms is simple. Users join a livestream with an image of an empty room as the background, and leave their concerns anonymously via comments or chat. While it may look like just a plain picture of an empty room, when worries are shared, an unspecified audience can respond with empathy or advice, making this a public online confession space. Related content has already recorded over 50 million cumulative views, spreading rapidly.

The stories shared in these spaces are diverse. They range from confessions such as eating 'luosifen' (snail rice noodles), a pungent dormitory food, for three days in a row and making a roommate cry, to stories of procrastinating on a graduation thesis for almost a month, and even buying a fake Louis Vuitton bag out of vanity and bragging about it.

There are also many heavier confessions, such as debt problems or trauma. One user revealed that after secretly dropping out of school, they spent their tuition, living expenses, and loans on games. The user later confessed to repaying their debts with life insurance money from their deceased mother, drawing criticism.

Another user admitted that, as a child, they once hid a stray cat in the garage out of fear of being scolded by their parents, only for the cat to end up starving to death. The user wrote, "I'm truly sorry. I wish, even if I have to give up everything I have now, that the cat is happy and healthy in heaven." In response, another commenter said, "I understand. I also once accidentally lost a pet," adding, "This kind of experience remains a lifelong torment."

This phenomenon is said to have spread after American influencer Niki adopted the confession room format in a livestream in 2021. Chinese netizens then modified it and created their own 'confession room' content, making it a popular trend.

Experts analyze that these online confessions are less about seeking 'forgiveness' and more about finding someone to listen. Offline, it is difficult to reveal one's innermost thoughts due to concerns about others' judgment, but in anonymous online spaces, people can express their emotions more freely.

However, concerns about side effects have also been raised. Li Jie, a researcher at Jiangsu Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that some users have a tendency to justify even illegal acts under the guise of 'confession.' He emphasized the need for institutional measures such as real-name registration for operators and content management. In addition, Professor Wang Shaolei of Nanjing Normal University warned, "Dependence on anonymous spaces can worsen real-life face-to-face relationships."

In Korea, AI-based counseling is also spreading…"Anonymity and convenience are strengths"

Getty Images Bank

Anonymous online counseling and communication methods are becoming more common in Korea as well. In fact, there are a growing number of cases where people turn to artificial intelligence (AI) for advice, relying on anonymity. According to a report titled "Perceptions of AI-Based Psychological Counseling" published by Korea Research in April last year, 56% of respondents said they would seek a professional counselor in times of psychological difficulty, while 40% said they would use AI counseling services such as ChatGPT.

Expectations for AI-based psychological counseling services include the ability to share concerns freely without worrying about others' views or evaluations (47%), the possibility of counseling at any time and place (41%), and the guarantee of anonymity (35%).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.