Painted Skin: Resurrection, the second money-making Chinese movie of the year, is a romantic fantasy set in a mythic time and place. The costumes are gorgeous, and the photography is better than the story.

In 2012, many realized that we have collectively shifted from so-called tasteful highbrow fare to one of pungency. We need big doses of spice to keep ourselves from dozing off into a stupor induced by both the mediocrity of the avalanche of entertainment thrown at us and the boredom afflicted by our inconsequential lives.

Someone tried to present Peking Opera performers in bikinis, while the biggest singing duo is Phoenix Legend, who transformed catchy folk songs into kitschy dance mixes.

Gastronomically, A Bite of China, a television documentary, showcased foods and recipes from across the nation, awakening the public to the culinary delights that surround us but we had taken for granted - not limited to the spicy kind, though. The high production values and unique narrative skills combine to make the series the mouth-watering talk of the nation, let alone raising the prices of those ingredients mentioned in the program.

One demographic unable to afford some of those foods is diaosi, a self-deprecating term coined by online game communities and now referring to young underachievers who have accepted the status quo and are almost enjoying it.

A typical diaosi is someone who does not possess physical charm, family background or career optimism. Very often, it is a young man unable to find a date and preferring to stay home at the computer and stay away from socializing.

But collectively, they can create a virtual hurricane and launch attacks against the rich and the beautiful. It may be a testament of the triumph of the diaosi that the box-office record for a domestic film set by Painted Skin: Resurrection, a fantasy starring three of the best-looking actors in China, was soon snatched by Lost in Thailand, featuring a trio of diaosi type.

Related:

For more coverage by Raymond Zhou, click here