Viral 'Charm Courses' Spark Debate, Expose Lucrative Biz

Chinese social media influencer Zhou Yuan has ignited online debate over her courses that teach women to "cultivate charm" — including methods described as "using eyes to seduce."

Her instructional videos, featuring exaggerated expressions and gestures, quickly became viral meme material. Numerous netizens and even some celebrities began posting parodies, turning her content into a satirical online phenomenon.

Behind the mockery lies a profitable commercial enterprise. According to Lanjing News, Zhou's business spans paid knowledge services, intimacy products, and beauty and medical offerings. Her official course platform has reportedly earned over 24 million yuan (US$3.45 million), with tens of thousands of enrolled students.

The success draws sharp criticism. Many accuse her of training women to pander to men rather than empowering them. In response, Zhou frames her teachings as a way to "please oneself" — a claim skeptics see as a veneer for what they call "mistress training" centered on male approval.

Zhou operates accounts on Douyin and Xiaohongshu with nearly 200,000 combined followers, posting content aimed at women, some of which is considered explicit.

The "Heibaidian" official public account describes its "Sexual Intelligence Academy," founded in 2018, as China's first female-focused "sexual intelligence education platform," aimed at building confidence "from soul to body."

Courses are offered online, priced from 9.9 to over 1,000 yuan, and offline through intensive camps costing 2,999 yuan (two days) and 4,980 yuan (three days). The organization states courses are for adult women only and are led by nationally certified psychological counselors.

A staff member revealed that the offline sessions are in high demand, with over 10 events potentially held per month, requiring reservations at least 10 days in advance.

Based on listed prices and enrollment, the course revenue exceeds 24 million yuan, with several classes having thousands of students. The academy claims to have served over 100,000 students since its founding.

Currently, several of Zhou's social media accounts have been set to private.