Disney Online Survey Reveals Chinese Youths’ Perceptions on Hip Hop Culture

SHANGHAI, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- In a final series of mini online surveys inspired by Disney’s upcoming release of local movie production “High School Musical: China”, Disney China surveyed 2,500+ respondents on their views of hip hop culture and trends; from breaking out in dance in public to engaging in competitive sports in open courts, inspired by Disney branded interviews with youth culture trend setters who spoke out about what sparks their participation and the differences between individual success and team performance.

When asked about Chinese youth’s attitudes towards foreign culture like street dancing, street basketball and graffiti, the survey results showed that-

• 99% of the respondents agreed that street dancing, basketball and graffiti have become an integral part of mainstream to the Chinese young adult born in the 80s and 90s;
• 85% said they felt that the embracing of this culture came from the generation’s need for self-expression while only 15% thought they were just blindly following the trend;
• A large majority (82%) agreed that they and their peers are more receptive towards foreign culture but they remained more focused on local Chinese culture as their roots than foreign culture. Only 1% thought that the receptive attitude is out of blind admiration.

In terms of the influence of hip-hop culture on the individuality and sportsmanship of current Chinese youth -

• A slight majority, 53% of street basketballers, responded that competing for the crowd as most important, while the lesser 47% ranked winning as a higher priority;
• Overall, 72% of all respondents said they preferred team to individual performance;
• 39% explained that they felt hip hop culture makes them feel part of a greater team and helps to connect them to like-minded friends.

Popular online blogger and street basketballer Wu You (also known as “MoRe FrEe” online) said: “I play because of my crazed passion for the sport; I play hard for the cheers from the crowd, not to win,” in an interview with HSMChina.com.  Users of popular social networking site Kaixin who offered comments on the online interview article said:

• “We love street basketball and work really hard to play it well.  It is an American interpretation of basketball and also a kind of team communication…”
• “Street basketball is just a show, for everyone to enjoy, cheer, and have fun.  But if we want to build stronger professional basketball teams in China, we can’t rely on it.”
• “It’s a show, not a game.”

(Source: http://www.kaixin001.com/!repaste/detail.php?uid=79619228&urpid=2398677427)

The survey respondents are netizens gathered from top social networking site Kaixin, popular trend-setting blogs and over 20 discussion BBSes through a viral “chaoren” (trendy young adults) interview series hosted by www.hsmchina.com.  The interviews with streetballer Wu You and dancer Ala, along with the mini surveys are available at www.hsmchina.com/chaoren. “High School Musical China” will open in cinemas across China in mid August, 2010.  For more information about the movie and the trailer, please visit www.hsmchina.com. 

About The Walt Disney Company in China

 The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a diversified international family entertainment enterprise with five business segments with over 144,000 employees. Our first animation screened in China in the 1930s and today our long association continues with offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with over 1,000 employees.  Disney is a Dow 30 Company, had annual revenues of over US$36 billion in its most recent fiscal year, and a market capitalization of US$65.98 billion as of 30 July, 2010. For more information about The Walt Disney Company please visit: http://corporate.disney.go.com/