China Focus: Internet celebrities -- the sky is the limit, or a long way to fall?

Trending on the Internet brings you fame, but you might find great fortune coming your way as well.

On March 19, the news broke that a female vblogger from Shanghai had just been offered 12 million yuan (1.84 million U.S. dollars) in investment, prompting applause, and eye rolling, from the Chinese public.

"Papi," a graduate from the Central Academy of Drama, began posting her homemade videos on social networks in August 2015. She quickly gained a huge following, and her quirky videos caught the attention of Luo Zhenyu, an Internet sensation in his own right. Luo is Papi's investor.

She is famous for her humorous yet critical monologues on issues that affect people in China. Her videos have been shared across China's social networks, such as Wechat and the Twitter-like Weibo, where she has eight million followers.

Each video can easily get 100,000 views.

Her popularity and ensuing great fortune have not gone unnoticed by the public.

On Weibo, "Liuxiaoman" said, "Her hilarious commentaries on pop culture not only get the point, but are also thought-provoking."

"Zuichu1998" another Weibo user praised her work ethic. "It must take her a while to shoot even the simplest of scenes. She deserves the money."

Some would argue that Papi just happens to be in the right place at the right time, as Internet sensations are all the rage.

"Because they have so many followers, Internet sensations are attractive addition to any promotion," said Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research. "That's why people are keen to invest."

However, not everyone is optimistic about the future of these Internet sensations.

"There have been sensations like this before. They usually don't last very long," said "DogRich" on Weibo. "Only those backed by professional agents can really make their way in this business."

Shen Yang, professor at Tsinghua University, expressed concerns about her "selling out."

"It remains to be seen whether Papi can stick to her own style after the investment." he said.

"Whether her commercial value continues to rise is also questionable," Shen added, recalling past Internet sensations Fengjie and Shi Hengxia who did not last very long in the spotlight.

Still, a lot of people believe in Papi, and this new era for Internet celebrities.

"Attitudes regarding the Internet have changed," said Heima, a critic on investment, highlighting the rewards viewers gave to Papi via Wechat in the form of cash.

"That means people are now willing to pay for what they love to see on the Internet, especially if those people do or say things that resonate with them," he added.

His view echoed that of "Haikuotiankong" on Weibo. "As long as Papi's videos keep being viewed, she still has great potential, and the popularity of Internet sensations can be sustainable."

After all, Luo Zhenyu, Papi's investor and an Internet sensation himself, is convinced the future is bright for them. They are set to appear together in commercials in the near future.

"The sky is the limit for Papi." he said. Endi