Take a look inside central China’s biggest training school for aspiring internet stars

How to take your selfie skills to the next level

Looking to become a Chinese internet celebrity? Well, have we got just the place for you!

On Tuesday, the “largest internet star training school in central China” opened its doors in Wuhan, Hubei province, attracting around 60 young and beautiful live-stream hosts interested in improving their craft.

While the school claims to help improve all aspects of a camgirl’s appeal, appearance, and performance, it’s not quite clear how they do that. From what we can tell from the photos of the academy, it mostly involves having the women wait around and take selfies.

In recent years, the popularity of live-streaming has exploded in China, resulting in a number of young women pursuing fame and fortune online, while generally working long hours in cramped quarters inside so-called “internet celebrity factories.”

Responding to this new vocational demand, a college in Chongqing began offering students a new training program last year targeted at teaching them how to become an internet star.

“[We will teach] for example how to ask for gifts, how to create a viral topic, how to manage the fans’ minds,” the South China Morning Post quoted one of the program’s creators as saying. “We want to train the students into both skillful performers and persuasive online marketing and sales persons.”

[Images via Imagine China]