In the midst of a fast-paced urban life, increasing digital interactions, and mounting social pressures, emotional well-being has taken a backseat. Young adults, in particular, are grappling with overwhelming loneliness and seeking a refuge where they can be heard and accepted without judgment.
This is what motivated the CEO of Soul, Zhang Lu, to introduce a platform on which common interests would be the basis for digital connections.
Traditional social networking platforms were supposed to help renew existing connections and even forge new ones, but they have failed miserably. In fact, there is ample literature on how many social networking apps have compounded the problem by causing self-doubt, anxiety, and feelings of social isolation.
In contrast, the model introduced by Soul Zhang Lu is like a breath of fresh air because it does not rely on existing connections, nor does it bring real-life acquaintances into the user’s online world.
Moreover, Soul Zhang Lu’s team has made optimal use of various technological advancements not just to offer curated content and generate accurate matches but also to create new avenues for interaction. The platform has also made efficient use of AI to create new routes for human-human and human-machine interactions.
Be it a small online game or the AI chat assistant, or the Audio Partyroom feature, all of these are designed for deep engagement at the emotional level. In fact, comfort rooms, which are designed on top of the Audio Partyroom feature, have created quite a buzz among the users of Soul Zhang Lu’s platform.
Far from being regular digital spaces for generic chitchat, these comfort rooms are in essence virtual sanctuaries that offer emotional support, psychological insight, and a strong sense of belonging. Created spontaneously by users who want to help others by listening, sharing, and guiding, comfort rooms operate without scripts or agendas.
The only aim is to offer sincere companionship, emotional validation, and in some cases, deep psychological wisdom. Metaphorically, these are digital general stores for emotional relief, where the inventory consists of understanding, empathy, and shared life experiences. To truly understand the nature of these rooms, it is imperative to peek inside a few of them.
At this time, three rooms have gained quite a fan following on Soul Zhang Lu’s platform. Each offers its own style of support, yet they are all essentially hubs for self-healing, learning, and transformation. The first of these is hosted by Liu Jian, the direct and incisive “Love Expert”. What makes him a hit among his followers is his direct approach to emotional dilemmas.
At first, Liu Jian’s responses to users’ relationship queries were based on sharp, observational commentary. These responses quickly struck a chord, and as the messages began flooding in, Liu Jian realised there was a genuine need. To meet this need, he invested nearly ¥70,000 (roughly $10,000) in psychological courses to deepen his understanding and build a personal methodology rooted in practical results.
His approach is simple – He offers an emotional reality check with a practical edge. There is no mollycoddling involved, instead, Liu Jian’s strategy is grounded in helping individuals accept reality and take decisive action.
So, when helping someone struggling with the pain of a heartbreak, he gets the user to recognise hard truths and implement a complete emotional and physical disconnection from the source of distress. Although this clarity is a bitter pill, it empowers people to reclaim control and start healing.
When discussing his role in comfort rooms, Liu Jian explained that helping others gives him a sense of purpose. He also stated that if not for his Comfort Room, he’s too would be mindlessly scrolling his phone after work like everyone else. In other words, he transformed his digital fatigue into emotional productivity.
If Liu Jian is all about hard truths, Auntie Daphne, a compassionate and seasoned psychological counsellor, is on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum. Her Comfort Room on Soul Zhang Lu’s platform resembles a cosy living room, where everyone is welcome and nobody feels judged.
Auntie Daphne has her own practice outside of her Comfort Room, and she has been active on Soul since its early testing phase in 2020, gradually evolving from a listener to a host who runs three to four sessions per week.
Each of her sessions is different; some are open-mic discussions, while others follow structured themes such as book readings from psychology literature. Regardless of the format, Daphne prioritises a respectful and accepting environment where participants feel heard and safe. She avoids clinical detachment, so instead of presenting herself as an authority, Daphne plays the role of a guide who makes room for people to process emotions at their own pace.
So, when someone in distress approaches her, rather than jumping to solutions, she leads the user to self-reflect, thus enabling the person to discover new perspectives and internal strengths. Most importantly, Daphne is clear about ethical guidelines. Her rooms are not therapy sessions, and she sets boundaries to protect both participants and herself.
If Liu Jian offers emotional triage and Daphne provides emotional warmth, then Qiuyue offers intellectual nourishment. A certified psychological counsellor and veteran high school psychology teacher, Qiuyue treats his Comfort Room like a digital classroom.
He hosts two-hour sessions, which are split into two halves. The first centres on structured psychology, while the second is an open forum for Q&A. Instead of offering straight answers, his approach is about reframing problems into broader themes. For example, in response to someone who says that he does not want to go to work, Qiuyue opens a discussion about burnout, modern work culture, and self-identity.
This method allows participants to engage with personal issues from a reflective, big-picture viewpoint without oversharing sensitive details. Qiuyue emphasises self-awareness as the foundation of growth. He frequently encourages attendees to question their emotions and actions. This internal observation leads to external change and guides his followers toward building mindful behaviour patterns.
What makes these 3 comfort rooms and others like them on Soul Zhang Lu’s platform unique is that each one arose organically in response to users’ emotional needs. Also, these rooms offer something most online platforms don’t: emotional nourishment without judgment.
By allowing users to communicate with avatars but still through their real voice, the platform creates a rare balance of safety and authenticity. This, coupled with the emotionally focused user base of Soul Zhang Lu’s app, has laid the foundation for a robust and varied support ecosystem.
