Despite moderate box-office gains since its opening on Dec 17, Chinese animation comedy I Am What I Am continues to grab headlines and receive wide applause.

It has been hailed for not only bringing lion dance, a folk art of China's intangible cultural heritage, to the big screen but also for its realistic, worldly approach. This makes sense especially because major animated titles released in recent years, including Nezha, Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification and White Snake, are mostly based on ancient mythology.

Unfolding from a brief introduction to lion dance, a centuries-old Chinese folk dance mostly performed to celebrate Lunar New Year, the movie follows an underdog teenager in South China's Guangdong province, as he joins hands with two friends to pursue a dream against all odds－becoming the best lion dance performer.