Nezha, Mixue, Labubu: The cultural exports making China cool

Before 2024, if you asked most Westerners to name Chinese brands, you’d get a predictable list: Alibaba, Temu, Shein — maybe Huawei or BYD if they followed tech news. These brands were known for their scale, efficiency, and competitive pricing — impressive, but hardly cool. China was respected as the world’s factory and feared as a geopolitical rival but rarely admired as a cultural trendsetter. That has changed. What has unfolded over the past eighteen months isn’t a coordinated campaign or government initiative. It’s something far more powerful: an organic cultural moment capturing the world’s imagination. From a mythological monkey king to AI breakthroughs that shocked Silicon Valley, from viral livestreams to collectible toys, China has become undeniably cool. This is the story of that transformation, moment by moment, brand by brand. Act I: Black Myth: Wukong gaming revolution (August 2024) The first crack in the old narrative came from an unexpected source: a video game about a monkey. On August 20, 2024, Black Myth: Wukong launched to global acclaim, selling 10 million copies in just three days. This wasn’t just another game release; it was a cultural earthquake that announced China’s arrival as a creative powerhouse. Developed by Game Science, a relatively unknown Chinese studio, Black Myth: Wukong did something unprecedented: it made Chinese mythology feel contemporary and accessible to global audiences. The game’s stunning visuals, rooted in traditional Chinese folklore but rendered with cutting-edge technology, proved that Chinese developers could compete with — and surpass — the biggest Western studios. By January 2025, it had sold over 25 million copies globally, with 30% of players located outside China. Unapologetically Chinese yet globally appealing, the game’s success didn’t feel like an exercise in soft power; it was pure entertainment. Act II: The DeepSeek moment that shook Silicon Valley (January 2025) If Black Myth: Wukong announced China’s creative potential, DeepSeek’s breakthrough in January 2025 declared its technological prowess. The AI startup from Hangzhou swiftly overtook ChatGPT as the most downloaded app in the U.S. Apple App Store after releasing its R1 model. But the real shock came later: DeepSeek had achieved this feat for just $294,000 in training costs — a fraction of the hundreds of millions spent by U.S. rivals. The revelation shocked global tech markets, leading to a significant sell-off in AI stocks as investors questioned the necessity of American companies’ massive spending. DeepSeek had proven that innovation didn’t require Silicon Valley’s brute-force approach to capital. It was a David-and-Goliath story that resonated worldwide, positioning China not as a copycat but as a disruptor. Act III: TikTok refugees: The great digital migration (January 2025) Just as DeepSeek was making headlines, another seismic shift was occurring in social media. The looming TikTok ban in the U.S. unexpectedly drove a wave of Americans to RedNote (Xiaohongshu), a Chinese lifestyle app. In just two days, more than 700,000 “TikTok refugees” had joined the platform, according to Reuters. What happened next was unprecedented: direct, unfiltered conversations between ordinary Americans and Chinese netizens. Without the mediation of traditional media or government narratives, people exchanged thoughts on daily life, culture, and shared interests. The language barrier became part of the charm, with users teaching each other phrases and sharing cultural insights. Notably, Americans were seeing China through Chinese eyes, not through geopolitical headlines. Act IV: Nezha 2: The animation blockbuster (February 2025) As Chinese social media was taking the world by storm, Nezha 2 was doing the same at the box office. Released during Chinese New Year 2025, the animated film didn’t just break records — it obliterated them. Following the mythological hero’s journey, Nezha 2 grossed over $2.2 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time and surpassing Inside Out 2. With near-Pixar-level animation and universal themes of rebellion and self-determination, the film proved that Chinese studios can captivate global audiences while telling distinctly Chinese stories. Act V: iShowSpeed: The livestream that changed perceptions (March 2025) The human face of this new China-America dialogue came in the form of iShowSpeed, an American streamer with over 45 million followers on YouTube. His live-streamed tour of China in July 2025 generated tens of millions of views, becoming a masterclass in authentic cultural diplomacy. What made Speed’s tour so powerful was his spontaneity. He wasn’t following a government-approved itinerary or delivering scripted messages. He was genuinely amazed by China’s technological advancement, infrastructure, and people. His exclamation “China’s different, bro!” carried more weight than any official cultural exchange program because it was real. The Chinese government’s genius was in what it didn’t do: it didn’t try to control the narrative. By allowing Speed to explore freely and react authentically, China projected confidence and openness — qualities that resonated globally. Act VI: The ugly-cute collectible craze (2024-2025) While blockbuster livestreams dominated headlines, a quieter revolution was unfolding in toy stores worldwide. Labubu, a bunny-eared character from Chinese company Pop Mart, became a global collectible sensation. With over 1 million TikTok posts and celebrity endorsements from Blackpink’s Lisa to Rihanna, these ugly-cute figurines were fetching thousands of dollars on resale markets. Labubu’s success signaled something new: Chinese IP that wasn’t adapted from Western concepts or rooted in ancient mythology. It was contemporary, original, and undeniably Chinese in its aesthetic sensibility. The fact that global celebrities were proudly displaying these toys signaled a shift in cultural influence. Act VII: The Chinese brand invasion (2024-2025) Behind these cultural moments, a quieter but equally significant transformation was occurring: Chinese brands were going global with decent success. BYD captured 18% of the global electric vehicle (EV) market in Q2 2025, with six of the world’s top 10 EV brands now Chinese. Meanwhile, Mixue became the world’s largest fast-food chain by store count, with over 46,000 locations globally as of March 2025. But it wasn’t just about scale. Luckin Coffee was expanding internationally with a focus on quality and innovation. Laopu Gold was redefining Chinese luxury with heritage-inspired designs. Xpeng delivered 24,702 cars overseas in the first eight months of 2025, up 137% year-over-year. These weren’t just Chinese companies selling abroad; they were Chinese brands building global recognition. Why now? The perfect storm This transformation didn’t happen in a vacuum. Several factors converged to create this moment: Digital-first strategy: Chinese brands understood social media and mobile-first consumption better than their global competitors, allowing them to connect directly with younger audiences worldwide. Authentic confidence: Unlike previous cultural export attempts that felt forced, this wave succeeded because it was genuine. Chinese creators and companies were confident enough in their products to let them speak for themselves. Global accessibility: Whether it’s DeepSeek’s low-cost AI or Mixue’s affordable ice cream, Chinese innovations often prioritize accessibility, making them appealing to global mass markets. Cultural timing: The world was ready for alternatives to Western-dominated narratives, and China provided fresh perspectives at exactly the right moment. The new China narrative What emerges from this chronological journey is a picture of China that defies old stereotypes. This isn’t the China of state-controlled media and top-down cultural initiatives. This is a China that’s confident enough to let its creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators speak for themselves. The transformation has been noticed at the highest levels. For the first time in 2025, China’s global favorability rating (+8.8) surpassed that of the U.S. (-1.5). China climbed to second place in the Global Soft Power Index, achieving its highest position ever. For brands, policymakers, and cultural observers worldwide, the lesson is clear: the flow of influence is no longer unidirectional. The next big idea, the next viral moment, the next cultural phenomenon is just as likely to emerge from Shanghai or Shenzhen as from Silicon Valley or Hollywood. China didn’t just become cool again — it redefined what cool means in a connected world.

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Nezha, Mixue, Labubu: The cultural exports making China cool