“Johnny Keep Walking!” has struck a chord with young Chinese workers who relate to its biting satire of pointless bureaucracy, lazy bosses, and the tradition of annual galas at Chinese companies
It’s no surprise that Johnny Keep Walking! has proved a hit at China’s box office. The satirical comedy touches on topics the country’s young “wage slaves (打工人)” have been complaining (and meme-ing) about for years now: overtime, nasty bosses, fusty culture from bygone eras, pointless bureaucracy… But one thing sealed the deal for Johnny’s success—its take on annual galas, perhaps the most dreaded and cringe-inducing event on Chinese workers’ calendars.
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Zhang Wenjie is a contributing writer at The World of Chinese. She loves to share the lifestyles, voices, and concerns of China’s Gen Z. She is also fond of collecting and displaying the flourishing slang expressions in the Chinese language.
