Young flesh covers Chinese screens

Teenagers, especially young girls, are devout admirers of the "small fresh meat" film idols and are willing to pay good money for films, songs and public appearances, Zhang said.

According to the Movie Times website, there are at least three Chinese teen movies scheduled in the next two months, including the fourth installment of the "Tiny Times" franchise. They are expected to provoke more fervor.

Rao believes the phenomenon is helping the domestic film industry develop.

"Chinese filmmakers lag far behind their Hollywood counterparts in producing disaster and sci-fi blockbusters. Teen movies are a good choice for them to compete with Hollywood, as such films can strike a chord with local audiences," Rao said.

But he is worried about the lasting effects of the craze. Some of the films in this genre are crass, with poor editing and acting and cliched plots due to a lack of professional film talent and mature production teams, he said.

"The filmmakers must feel urgency to improve their professionalism in film making, and produce more films of good quality while seeking commercial profits," he said, adding young idols should also improve their acting and maintain their popularity by producing better work.