China ACG Culture
KFC China’s Psyduck Toy is a Viral Hit
As Psyduck goes viral, KFC Children’s Day toys are deemed “too childish for children but just perfect for us adults.”
Chapter Dive
The Next Labubu: What the Rise of Wakuku Tells Us About China’s Collectible Toy Wave
From ugly-cute rebellion to a new kind of ‘C-pop,’ the breakout success of Wakuku sheds light on Chinese consumer culture and the forces driving China’s trend toy industry.
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Starbucks Goes Xinjiang & The Kardashians in China
Red Carpet, Pandas, and Power: How China Read the Trump-Xi Summit
Keeping Score of History: The Mukden Incident and China’s Basketball Defeat to Japan
The Rise of “Shuaqi-ism,” Taking Starbucks to the Fields, and Pretending to Go to Work
Why Japan Has So Many Surnames, China’s Back-to-School Shifts & Taiwan Pavilion Trouble
“God Won’t Save Us, but the PLA Will”: Floods, Faith, and Kung Fu Soccer Nostalgia
How Chinese AI Videos Turned Foreigners into Villains
Why Japan Has So Many Surnames, China’s Back-to-School Shifts & Taiwan Pavilion Trouble
The Power of Ugly: Why Niu Lai Became China’s Unlikeliest Box-Office Hit
AI Actress Ad Pulled, Baihaitun Disrupts Shanghai and Cicada Meme Bugs Huawei
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China Brands, Marketing & Consumers11 months agoHasan Piker’s China Trip & the Unexpected Journey of a Chinese School Uniform to Angola
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Chapter Dive7 months agoInside the Great Chinese Debate Over the Iran War
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China Trend Watch11 months agoJapan Tensions, Nexperia Fallout, Yunnan’s ‘Wild Child,’ & “Modern Opium”