According to China’s state-run Gwangmyeong Ilbo and others, the doll, which was made in Yiu, Zhejiang Province, to mark the fifth year of the disease this year, the year of “Red Horse,” is a crying face with the corners of its mouth drooping downward. It is a defective product caused by the accidental sewing of its mouth during the manufacturing process, but it has become a hot topic on social media and is selling like hot cakes.
In particular, office workers who suffer from low-wage long hours of work expressed sympathy. The Gwangmyeong Ilbo pointed out, “The droopy mouth corner and the depressed expression accurately reflect the actual emotions of the young generation living in the heavy-handed reality such as fatigue in work life, anxiety in life, and unspeakable complaints.”
Some netizens posted a photo of themselves saying that they bought both “crying words” and “laughing words” and put them at home and at the company. Recently, “Kusoma” has been introduced, which allows people to change the shape of a horse’s mouth 360 degrees to smile and cry.
The New York Times (NYT) said, “China’s growth and wages have stagnated after rapid economic growth, and the prospects for class rise have darkened,” adding, “The crying horse doll has been listed on the list symbolizing the burnout of the younger generation in China.”
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
