From Tokyo’s Movie Theaters to China’s Faux Workspaces
The first time I saw this phenomenon wasn’t in China at all.
It was Tokyo, late 1970s. I was a student then, wandering the city between classes. Sometimes I’d duck into matinee movie screenings to escape the summer heat. The theatres would be almost full — not with students or retirees, but with rows of men in suits, briefcases resting neatly on their knees. They’d left home that morning as if going to the office, but instead of work, they were quietly waiting out the day in coffee shops, pachinko parlors, or cinemas.
The economy was slowing, companies were discreetly shedding workers, and yet the shame of unemployment was so great that everyone kept playing along. These men maintained the performance of employment for their families, neighbors, and perhaps themselves.
Fast forward to present-day China, and the play has been updated for the digital age.
1. The Rise of “Pretend Work” Offices
Young unemployed adults now pay $4–$7 daily to rent desks in faux offices (brands like Pretend To Work Company) that simulate real workplaces. These spaces offer:
- Physical infrastructure: Workstations, Wi-Fi, meeting rooms, break areas.
- Theatrical services: Fake colleagues, staged manager visits, even scripted “worker uprising” scenes for realism.
- Perks: Lunches, snacks, and tools for job hunting or skill-building.
| Service Type | Examples | Purpose |
| Basic Workspace | Desks, Wi-Fi, meeting rooms | Mimic corporate environment |
| Role-Playing Services | Fake colleagues, manager “inspections” | Maintain illusions for families/employers |
| Support Amenities | Free meals, skill-training workshops | Provide structure and community |
2. Why It Exists
- Economic strain: Official youth unemployment is 14.5%, with over 12 million new graduates entering a sluggish job market annually. Unofficial estimates peaked at 46.5% in 2023.
- Social stigma: In Chinese culture, being idle is shameful. Some rent these spaces just to take staged “office” photos for parents.
- Institutional pressure: Certain universities withhold diplomas until students show proof of employment, pushing some to fake internships.
- Mental health: Routine and community help counter isolation and “bed rotting” — another trend among idle youth.
3. The Psychology of Performed Employment
Just as in 1970s Japan, these offices serve as coping mechanisms.
They offer structure, social contact, and the dignity of “having somewhere to be.”
But there’s a risk: the longer the performance continues, the harder it becomes to break the illusion and confront reality.
4. Shadows of Legality
Some operators push the boundaries, selling forged contracts, fake pay stubs, or illegal social security contributions. Fabricating labor relationships can bring serious fraud charges.
5. What It Tells Us
Whether in post-boom Tokyo or slowing-growth China, performative work reflects a mismatch between education, labor markets, and societal expectations. It’s a symptom of deeper systemic challenges:
- Universities producing graduates for jobs that no longer exist.
- Governments underestimating the speed of structural change.
- Cultures that still equate visible busyness with personal worth.
For some, these faux offices are a temporary holding pattern. A few even use the time to reskill, launch small ventures, or pivot careers. But for most, it’s a waiting room — a place to keep up appearances until the real ticket to life arrives.
History may not repeat exactly, but sometimes it wears the same suit and carries the same briefcase.
Marco Lobo 
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