Decoding Gen Z: Soul Zhang Lu on the Drivers of the Digital Generation

The CEO of Soul App, Zhang Lu has always maintained that it is important to understand the mindset of the social networking platform’s young users to truly cater to their requirements and live up to their expectations. To this end, Just So Soul, which is the research division of the company, often conducts surveys and studies that offer a glimpse into the lives, minds, and hearts of Gen Z.

The 2025 Gen Z Social Trend Report was the most recent study conducted by the team of Soul Zhang Lu. Along with Soul’s in-house research team, experts from Fudan University’s Center for Communication and State Governance Research were also roped in to work on this report. The information required was gathered through a survey as well as content made publically available by Soul App’s users.

One of the most notable findings of this report was that China’s Zoomers are more accepting of their emotional vulnerabilities and keen on shunning shame and hypersensitivity owed to societal perceptions. 

In fact, Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers found that when it comes to self-awareness, no other demographic can hold a candle to Gen Z. This is a cohort that has a unique way of navigating emotions, viewing relationships, and a very strong sense of personal identity.

Soul Zhang Lu’s team observed that more than any other generation before them, Zoomers are turning to intellectual sources to make sense of their experiences. For instance, the explosive popularity of a divorce-themed reality show in China brought the psychological term Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) into everyday conversations.

The surveyors working for Soul Zhang Lu found that youngsters wanted to do more than just talk about NPD. They were using knowledge about the topic to assess their relationships with romantic partners, family, and friends. On Soul, the hashtag #NPD attracted well over 24 million views in 2024, which was a clear indication of just how deeply this discussion resonated.

But, that wasn’t the only trending psychology-related topic. Alfred Adler’s psychological concept of “Separation of Tasks” also gained significant traction among the young users of Soul Zhang Lu’s platform. 

The idea encourages individuals to set healthy boundaries, reject external pressures, and take ownership of their own decisions. That Gen Z is keen on cultivating a stronger sense of self through this concept was made evident by the popularity of the hashtag #SeparationofTasks, which raked in 34.4 million views on Soul.

In fact, this desire for emotional and psychological self-discovery has transformed the way in which Gen Z treats relationships and even the way in which these youngsters spend their money and what they buy. The research team found that overall, Zoomers tend to take the “me-first” approach to life. If this means shunning societal norms, this generation certainly does not shy away from doing so.

For example, when Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers delved into the topic of love and romance, they found that there were just as many youngsters who were happy to be single as there were who wanted to be in a relationship.

Actually, the research team was a tad surprised to find young women openly admitting that their decision to stay single was rooted in their desire for personal growth which often gets stifled once a love interest becomes a part of life’s equation.

In contrast, young men who participated in the survey launched by Soul Zhang Lu’s team had more traditional reasons for their lack of romantic partnership. Most said that mismatched values and communication issues were the primary hindrances. 

But, some were open to admitting that financial stability also played a role along with past relationship experiences. In other words, youngsters were only willing to embark on a romantic journey if and when it suited them to do so and not because it was expected of them.

The idea of platonic companionship-friendship had a similar undercurrent. Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers called this, the soft-boiled egg approach to socializing. Like everybody out there, Zoomers also want a shoulder to cry on when they need to crib about an ex and an intent listener when they want to recount an interesting experience. But, they are looking for associations that are close enough yet not too close.

Gen Z terms these friends, “Gu Liao”, which literally means “guaranteed chat partner”, and when they find them, they are happy to discuss everything from their joys to their sorrows and from their fears to their anxieties with these connections. Many survey respondents admitted that they would be more at ease discussing emotional topics with a Gu Liao than with their romantic partner.   

Once again, this admission points to the “me-first” approach adopted by Gen Z. And because Zoomers put their needs and desires first, they are also very comfortable with the idea of befriending AI. It also bears mentioning here that Zoomers are the first true digital native generation, which means they are more at home with technological advances than preceding demographics.

That said, Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers found that almost one-half of the survey respondents felt that AI virtual beings can also offer emotional support and value. Because these digital beings do not demand the same courtesy in response, many Zoomers admitted that they would be willing to confide in AI chatmates.

As mentioned earlier, Gen Z’s spending patterns are also influenced by their “me-first” take on life. Unlike their parents and grandparents, Zoomers don’t want to invest in products and services merely for their functional value. For these youngsters, the emotional value that their money can buy is just as important. In fact, more so.

Hence, Gen Z is often found indulging in products that older generations would dismiss as being childish and silly and therefore an absolute no-no; case in point, soft toys, anime and manga-themed merchandise, collectibles, hobby-related products, and kid-dult toys.

When these observations made by Soul Zhang Lu’s team are put together, what emerges is the image of a generation that is fiercely independent and individualistic both in thoughts and actions. So, businesses that want to resonate with this demographic will have to shun the cookie-cutter solutions and strategies they have relied on thus far and think out of the box because that is pretty much the only way they can appeal to this free-thinking generation.