{
  "id": 12062060,
  "title": "Young Chinese hire 'life stand-ins' to cook and care for elderly parents amid booming trend",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/young-chinese-hire-life-stand-ins-to-cook-and-care-for-elderly",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-05T03:37:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20261005/young-chinese-hire-life-stand-ins-to-cook-and-care-for-elderly-parents-amid-booming-trend"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a growing trend dubbed the \"stand-in economy,\" young Chinese individuals are turning to professional life stand-ins to manage various daily tasks, including cooking, attending medical appointments, and handling difficult interactions. This service, which has gained significant popularity since being reported by mainland media in 2024, caters to those who lack the time, patience, or expertise to fulfill these responsibilities. According to recent data, RedNote posts about paid assistance for crafts and assembly have garnered over 120 million views. For instance, some consumers opt to hire skilled artisans to build intricate Lego sets, rather than attempting the assembly themselves. Customers have the option to either arrange a home visit or have items mailed directly to them.",
  "summary": "From cooking and attending hospital visits to doing the actual quarrelling, paid \"life stand-ins\" are stepping in to manage these tasks, along with errands and awkward moments that many young Chinese would rather avoid. This trend, known as the \"stand-in economy,\" is gaining traction among time-strapped consumers who are willing to pay for convenience when daily responsibilities exceed their…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Young Chinese hire ‘life stand-ins’ to cook and care for elderly parents amid booming trend",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/young-chinese-hire-life-stand-ins-to-cook-and-care-for-elderly",
        "published": "2026-10-04T02:20:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Young Chinese hire 'life stand-ins' to cook and care for elderly parents amid booming trend",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/young-chinese-hire-life-stand-ins-to-cook-and-care-for-elderly-12065452",
        "published": "2026-10-05T03:52:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}