Note: In this What’s on Weibo chapter on the story behind China’s designer toys, also read Inside the Labubu Craze and the ...

From ugly-cute rebellion to a new kind of 'C-pop,' the breakout success of Wakuku sheds light on Chinese consumer culture and ...

🔥 A version of this story also appeared in the Weibo Watch newsletter. Subscribe to stay in the loop. O ur Weibo phrase of the week is 结婚化债 jiéhūn huàzhài. Lately, the term “结婚化债” jiéhūn huàzhài, ...

From China’s first soap opera Yearnings to the rise of AI-fueled nostalgia.

China has a thriving gaming culture with far-reaching impact — not just on pop culture, but on language too. Even those who aren’t into gaming inevitably use expressions that come from it. RealTime ...

I n April 2025, China’s food delivery sector witnessed a somewhat dramatic development, which attracted major attention online, when Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com publicly challenged food delivery ...

Manya is the founder and editor-in-chief of What's on Weibo, offering independent analysis of social trends, online media, and digital culture in China for over a decade. Subscribe to gain access to ...

Manya is the founder and editor-in-chief of What's on Weibo, offering independent analysis of social trends, online media, and digital culture in China for over a decade. Subscribe to gain access to ...

FROM THE WEIBO WATCH PREMIUM NEWSLETTER China’s Xiaohongshu (Rednote) has seen an unprecedented influx of foreign “TikTok refugees” over the past week, giving rise to endless jokes. But behind this ...

Manya is the founder and editor-in-chief of What's on Weibo, offering independent analysis of social trends, online media, and digital culture in China for over a decade. Subscribe to gain access to ...

A recent crackdown on Chinese authors writing erotic webnovels has sparked increased online conversations about the Haitang Literature ‘Flower Market’ subculture, the challenges faced by prominent ...