Oxford student watches 'Ne Zha 2' 31 times in 8 days

A Chinese student from the University of Oxford has made headlines after sharing her remarkable experience of watching animated blockbuster “Ne Zha: Demon Child Conquers the Sea (Ne Zha 2)” 31 times in just eight days during her winter break in China.

Sophia, a 21-year-old literature major from Hefei in eastern China’s Anhui Province, spent over 2,000 yuan (US$276) on tickets for the hit film, which has grossed over 12 billion yuan so far since its release for the Lunar New Year, according to Chinese media reports. 

Sophia poses in front of "Ne Zha 2" posters at a cinema in Shanghai. Photos courtesy of the interviewee

Sophia’s extensive viewing sessions, documented through social media posts that featured stacks of ticket stubs, are rooted in a deeply emotional connection to the film’s mother-son narrative and her cherished memories of her late mother.

The young woman’s relationship with the "Ne Zha" series began in 2019 when she was hospitalized. Her mother took Sophia to see “Ne Zha: Birth of the Demon Child (Ne Zha 1).” "My mom pushed me into the theater in a wheelchair. It turned out to be our last movie together," Sophia told domestic media. 

Tragically, shortly after that outing, her mother passed away unexpectedly, leaving Sophia to navigate the challenges of grief and family turmoil during her final year of high school.

"Watching 'Ne Zha 2' feels like my mom is sitting beside me again," Sophia reflected, her voice thick with emotion as she recalled scenes that depict the protagonist’s interactions with his mother. "The film expresses everything I wish I could tell her."

Sophia’s father said his daughter financed her cinematic journey through savings accumulated from her full scholarship at Oxford. Although some critics on social media questioned her expenditure, Sophia asserted her family’s understanding of her emotional investment: “They support me in this.”

A selection of Sophia’s e-tickets for"Ne Zha 2."

Now back at Oxford, Sophia plans to rewatch the film if it is released in the U.K., though she expects to attend fewer screenings due to the higher ticket prices. "These characters helped me through my darkest days," she said. "Ne Zha isn't merely a hero on screen — he inspires me to keep fighting, just as my mom would have wanted."

Sophia’s heartfelt story has resonated widely on Chinese social media platforms, sparking numerous responses, including a trending comment that reads: "When a movie becomes part of your soul, even the gods cheer you on."