The movie “Hot and Spicy” (YOLO in English) became a box office sensation in China. As of February 20, it has grossed over 3 billion yuan, representing the 20th film in Chinese film history to break that milestone.

Photo/Lighthouse professional edition

It tells the story of Le Ying (Jia Ling), a woman who has been living at home for years, doing nothing and avoiding social contact. After a conflict with her sister, she decides to leave home and find a job at a barbecue restaurant. There, she meets Hao Kun (Lei Jiayin), a boxing coach who inspires her to change her life. However, she faces many challenges and difficulties along the way.

The movie has received positive reviews from critics and audiences, who praised Jia Ling’s performance, the inspirational message, and the humor. Jia Ling revealed that she gained 40 kilograms and then lost 100 kilograms for the role, and trained as a boxer for a year. She said that the movie was not about losing weight, but about finding oneself and loving oneself.

The movie also sparked a fitness craze among the viewers, especially women. According to data from Meituan, a major online platform, the search volume for keywords related to boxing increased by 388.4% compared to the same period last year, and the sales volume of boxing classes also rose significantly in various cities. Many women expressed their admiration for Jia Ling and their desire to try boxing as a way of improving their health and confidence.

A female boxing coach said that she was overwhelmed by the number of inquiries and requests for trial classes since the movie was released. She said that she had to work nonstop and barely had time to drink water. She also said that most of the customers were women, and some of them were fans of Jia Ling.

According to a report on February 19, Sony Pictures announced that the international distribution rights of the movie “YOLO” have been sold to Sony Pictures.

The movie is part of the booming Chinese film market during the Spring Festival holiday, which is a traditional peak season for cinema-going. According to data from Lighthouse, a professional film data platform, the total box office revenue from February 10 to February 17 reached 8.034 billion yuan (about 1.12 billion US dollars), and the total number of tickets sold was 163 million, setting new records for the same period.