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Looking Back on the 2024 CMG Spring Festival Gala: Highs, Lows, and...
The biggest media spectacle of the Chinese New Year is the annual CMG Spring Festival Gala. The entire week, this four-hour extravaganza featuring forty-six performances has dominated social media...
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Olympic Swimming Fu Yuanhui Gets Help via Weibo Following Taxi Scam
“We hired a car and now we’re being extorted. Halfway through, they wanted us to pay more to buy tickets; we disagreed, so now the driver won’t continue driving. What should I do? Should I call the...
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From Pitch to Politics: About the Messy Messi Affair in Hong Kong (Updated)
In the days leading up to the start of the Chinese New Year, the hottest topic on Chinese social media was not about the upcoming celebration – everyone was talking about soccer instead. Why? Because...
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Weibo Watch: Stealing the Show
PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #24 This week’s newsletter: ︎ 1. Editor’s Note – Stealing the show ︎ 2. What’s Been Trending – A closer look at the featured stories ︎ 3. What More to Know – Five bit-sized...
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The ‘Two Sessions’ Suggestions: Six Proposals Raising Online Discussions
The ‘Two Sessions’ (liǎnghuì 两会), China’s annual parliamentary meetings, are always a significant topic on Chinese social media. This year, the second session of China’s 14th National People’s Congress...
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“The End of the Golden Age of Japanese Manga”: Chinese Netizens Mourn Death...
Chinese fans are mourning the death of Japanese manga artist and character creator Akira Toriyama. On Friday, his production company confirmed that the 68-year-old artist passed away due to acute...
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Party Slogan, Weibo Hashtag: “The Next China Will Still Be China”
After Wang Yi’s remarks during his Two Sessions press conference, the sentence ‘the next China will still be China’ has solidified its place as a new catchphrase in the Communist Party jargon. But what...
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In Hot Water: The Nongfu Spring Controversy Explained
The big battle over bottled water has taken over Chinese social media recently. The support for the Chinese Wahaha brand has morphed into an anti-Nongfu Spring campaign, led by online nationalists....
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Weibo Watch: Explosive Material
PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #25 This week’s newsletter: ︎ 1. Editor’s Note – Explosive material ︎ 2. What’s Been Trending – A closer look at the featured stories ︎ 3. What More to Know – Five...
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Two Years After MU5735 Crash: New Report Finds “Nothing Abnormal” Surrounding...
A new report by China’s Civil Aviation Administration has found no abnormalities in the circumstances surrounding the MU5735 incident. Two years after the flight nosedived in mid-air, people are still...
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Going All In on Short Streaming: About China’s Online ‘Micro Drama’ Craze
Closely intertwined with the Chinese social media landscape and the fast-paced online entertainment scene, micro dramas have emerged as an immensely popular way to enjoy dramas in bite-sized portions....
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The Chinese Viral TikTok Song Explained (No, It’s Not About Samsung)
Over the past few days, a Chinese song ‘challenge’ has been going viral on TikTok, with various TikTokers from America and beyond mastering the phonetics of a Mandarin song, lip-syncing it and...
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More than Malatang: Tianshui’s Recipe for Success
Since the early post-pandemic days, Chinese cities have stepped up their game to attract more tourists. The dynamics of Chinese social media make it possible for smaller, lesser-known destinations to...
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Weibo Watch: Burning BMWs
PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #26 This week’s newsletter: ︎ 1. Editor’s Note – Burning BMWs ︎ 2. What’s Been Trending – A closer look at the featured stories ︎ 3. What More to Know – Five bit-sized...
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Where to Eat and Drink in Beijing: Yellen’s Picks
Janet Yellen, the United States Secretary of the Treasury, seems to have some excellent advisors, at least when it comes to choosing spots for food and drinks in Beijing. Yellen just concluded her...
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Chengdu Disney: The Quirkiest Hotspot in China
How did a common park turn into a buzzing hotspot? By mixing online trends with real-life fun, blending foreign styles with local charm, and adding a dash of humor and absurdity, Chengdu now boasts its...
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“Old Bull Eating Young Grass”: 86-Year-Old Chinese Painter Fan Zeng Marries...
The recent marriage announcement of the renowned Chinese calligrapher/painter Fan Zeng and Xu Meng, a Beijing TV presenter 50 years his junior, has sparked online discussions about the life and work of...
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Zara Dress Goes Viral in China for Resemblance to Haidilao Apron
A short dress sold by Zara has gone viral in China for looking like the aprons used by the popular Chinese hotpot chain Haidilao. “I really thought it was a Zara x Haidialo collab,” some customers...
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Weibo Watch: The Battle for the Bottom Bed
PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #27 This week’s newsletter: ︎ 1. Editor’s Note – Battle for the Bottom Bed ︎ 2. What’s Been Trending – A closer look at the featured stories ︎ 3. What More to Know – Five...
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A Brew of Controversy: Lu Xun and LELECHA’s ‘Smoky’ Oolong Tea
It seemed like such a good idea. For this year’s World Book Day, Chinese tea brand LELECHA (乐乐茶) put a spotlight on Lu Xun (鲁迅, 1881-1936), one of the most celebrated Chinese authors the 20th century...
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