Elderly influencers have youth on their side

Yuan Suyu, who turned 83 in February, joined the trending birthday transition on social media, appearing in festive attire as she blew out candles on a decorated cake.

"Since becoming a content creator, I've been exposed to many new things," Yuan said, describing vlogging as a bright spark in her twilight years.

Through her vlog series, "A day in the life of an 82-year-old girl spending her pension", Yuan has built a following of more than 25,000 people on her RedNote account, "Grandma Liuliu", which has received nearly 200,000 likes.

In her short videos, Yuan visits cafes in Shanghai, takes city walks in Hong Kong, and attends major events such as the China International Import Expo. "I had never imagined experiencing these big events before, and it has truly broadened my horizons," she said.

The octogenarian, who loves wearing qipao and painting her nails, joined the platform in 2024. At first, she used social media to learn about health and wellness. But her distinctive style and enthusiasm for fashion and beauty inspired friends and family to encourage her to share her content.

With help from her granddaughter, Yuan began documenting her daily life on Red-Note, or Xiaohongshu.

Many users responded warmly, leaving comments such as, "Grandma, you look so trendy", and "Wishing you happiness and good health every day". Yuan said the positive feedback has motivated her to take better care of herself and to live a full and joyful life.