In China, the rat race begins almost the minute you are born - from getting into a good school to getting that prestigious job. But millions now want to break free of this cycle, with two words shedding a light on the frustration felt by the younger generation.
When Sun Ke graduated from college in 2017, he went to Shanghai to pursue a dream shared by many from his generation - a good career, a car, perhaps even a house.
However, when he started his own restaurant business in 2018, Sun Ke soon realized that big franchises and delivery platforms already dominated the market. He was too late to the race.
"To compete with others on delivery apps, my business partner and I had to take money out of our own pockets to waive the delivery fee and give discounts to clients. And the real money makers are still those big franchises."
After two years, he ended up losing more than 1 million yuan ($156,907, £110,169). Late last year, he shut the business for good.
He said his experience was typical of "involution" in China today.
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