Manya Koetse
@manyapan.bsky.social
Eye on Digital China 🇨🇳💬📱 Chinese social trends, online media & digital culture. See @manyapan on X for my most recent updates 🙏
One to add to the list of "the prettiest KFC I've ever seen"
December 3, 2025 at 11:58 AM
One to add to the list of "the prettiest KFC I've ever seen"
It was an early morning train and I wasn't quite awake yet, but conversations with this nice guy from Fengjie woke me up a bit – especially when he asked me if I was from Xinjiang (this actually happens quite frequently..)
December 1, 2025 at 4:38 AM
It was an early morning train and I wasn't quite awake yet, but conversations with this nice guy from Fengjie woke me up a bit – especially when he asked me if I was from Xinjiang (this actually happens quite frequently..)
Happy to randomly run into little Wukong here in Beijing. It's undeniably the cat that made the most impact in China news this year. I hope the art dedicated to her will stay around for a while 🐾
November 26, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Happy to randomly run into little Wukong here in Beijing. It's undeniably the cat that made the most impact in China news this year. I hope the art dedicated to her will stay around for a while 🐾
China’s latest viral meme, “丝瓜汤” (sīguā tāng), comes from Douyin creator Lei Zi’s family skits, where a mom insists her grown son drink loofah soup to “reduce liver fire.” It's come to represent something much bigger than that.
October 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
China’s latest viral meme, “丝瓜汤” (sīguā tāng), comes from Douyin creator Lei Zi’s family skits, where a mom insists her grown son drink loofah soup to “reduce liver fire.” It's come to represent something much bigger than that.
🫏 China’s donkey population is far below market demand. The country’s donkey population has plunged nearly 90% to just 1.46 million today, and the prices of donkey-related products continue to rise. What made this story go viral, though, wasn’t just the numbers. www.whatsonweibo.com/china-faces-...
October 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
🫏 China’s donkey population is far below market demand. The country’s donkey population has plunged nearly 90% to just 1.46 million today, and the prices of donkey-related products continue to rise. What made this story go viral, though, wasn’t just the numbers. www.whatsonweibo.com/china-faces-...
🍟🐒 McDonald’s China has teamed up with hit game 'Black Myth: Wukong' for a limited collab featuring themed meals, merch & a ¥68 board game. There've been mixed reviews on taste, but fans are overall loving the collectibles, signalling a new focus for global chains on domestic IPs.
October 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
🍟🐒 McDonald’s China has teamed up with hit game 'Black Myth: Wukong' for a limited collab featuring themed meals, merch & a ¥68 board game. There've been mixed reviews on taste, but fans are overall loving the collectibles, signalling a new focus for global chains on domestic IPs.
🇯🇵 Sanae Takaichi has become the first female president of Japan’s ruling LDP, and is set to become Japan’s first-ever female prime minister. On Chinese social media, her rise sparks heated debate over her nationalist views, Yasukuni visits, and stance on Taiwan.
October 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
🇯🇵 Sanae Takaichi has become the first female president of Japan’s ruling LDP, and is set to become Japan’s first-ever female prime minister. On Chinese social media, her rise sparks heated debate over her nationalist views, Yasukuni visits, and stance on Taiwan.
🎬 When reports surfaced about harsh conditions on Wong Kar-wai’s sets, media/fans dismissed his behavior as the quirks of a genius. This time is different. Accused of exploiting a young writer on Blossoms Shanghai, he’s now at the center of one of China’s biggest entertainment scandals this year.
October 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
🎬 When reports surfaced about harsh conditions on Wong Kar-wai’s sets, media/fans dismissed his behavior as the quirks of a genius. This time is different. Accused of exploiting a young writer on Blossoms Shanghai, he’s now at the center of one of China’s biggest entertainment scandals this year.
Before heading into the new week, let’s dive into some of the stories that trended.
➡️ During Nanchang’s fireworks show, a man drew attention shouting and holding something that sparked panic. Moments later, he was kicked down and taken away by police. It turned out to be a major misunderstanding.
➡️ During Nanchang’s fireworks show, a man drew attention shouting and holding something that sparked panic. Moments later, he was kicked down and taken away by police. It turned out to be a major misunderstanding.
October 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Before heading into the new week, let’s dive into some of the stories that trended.
➡️ During Nanchang’s fireworks show, a man drew attention shouting and holding something that sparked panic. Moments later, he was kicked down and taken away by police. It turned out to be a major misunderstanding.
➡️ During Nanchang’s fireworks show, a man drew attention shouting and holding something that sparked panic. Moments later, he was kicked down and taken away by police. It turned out to be a major misunderstanding.
That's a particularly sweet SWAT officer
October 4, 2025 at 9:08 AM
That's a particularly sweet SWAT officer
Traditional 哭嫁 (crying marriage), the bride parts with her family. The "happiest day of your life" comes with sorrow & some added drama. OP wrote: "I’ve heard of 喜丧 (joy-in-mourning: funeral for long-lived elder),but this is the first time I’ve seen 丧喜"(mourning-in-joy, made up word for this scene😅)
October 4, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Traditional 哭嫁 (crying marriage), the bride parts with her family. The "happiest day of your life" comes with sorrow & some added drama. OP wrote: "I’ve heard of 喜丧 (joy-in-mourning: funeral for long-lived elder),but this is the first time I’ve seen 丧喜"(mourning-in-joy, made up word for this scene😅)
Whenever reports surfaced about the harsh conditions on the set of renowned director Wong Kar-wai, mainstream media and fans often brushed off his tyrannical habits as the "quirks of a genius." This time, it feels different. Read more at: www.whatsonweibo.com/the-wong-kar...
October 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Whenever reports surfaced about the harsh conditions on the set of renowned director Wong Kar-wai, mainstream media and fans often brushed off his tyrannical habits as the "quirks of a genius." This time, it feels different. Read more at: www.whatsonweibo.com/the-wong-kar...
Really, you don't wanna mess with the dancing grannies. You can interfer with their music, spray them with water, but they're gonna come for you in the end. Better invest in earplugs for those early morning dance routines 😅
October 1, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Really, you don't wanna mess with the dancing grannies. You can interfer with their music, spray them with water, but they're gonna come for you in the end. Better invest in earplugs for those early morning dance routines 😅
China is facing a serious donkey shortage. And the headline “We have cows and horses, but no donkeys” (“牛马有的是，就缺驴”) is sparking viral discussion online, not just because of the actual donkey crisis but due to wordplay in Chinese of having too many obedient workers in the workplace vs stubborn ones.
September 30, 2025 at 8:25 PM
China is facing a serious donkey shortage. And the headline “We have cows and horses, but no donkeys” (“牛马有的是，就缺驴”) is sparking viral discussion online, not just because of the actual donkey crisis but due to wordplay in Chinese of having too many obedient workers in the workplace vs stubborn ones.
..others think Li's frantic, multitasking energy is relatable for anyone working in healthcare 😂 "Yes i'll get to you, first do this, then I'll help you" (做完你的做你的)
September 30, 2025 at 7:00 PM
..others think Li's frantic, multitasking energy is relatable for anyone working in healthcare 😂 "Yes i'll get to you, first do this, then I'll help you" (做完你的做你的)
He's the meme of the moment. Esp before the National Day holiday, Li's efficient way of 'dealing with his deadlines' resonated with many who say it's like "me at work before the holiday"
September 30, 2025 at 7:00 PM
He's the meme of the moment. Esp before the National Day holiday, Li's efficient way of 'dealing with his deadlines' resonated with many who say it's like "me at work before the holiday"
48-year-old Li Junyong (李俊永), who runs a small fried chicken stall in Jingdezhen, has a snappy multitasking style and tight rules on who he serves, when, and how. His earnest approach to his chicken stall business has turned him into a viral sensation under the nickname "Chicken Chop Brother" (鸡排哥)
September 30, 2025 at 7:00 PM
48-year-old Li Junyong (李俊永), who runs a small fried chicken stall in Jingdezhen, has a snappy multitasking style and tight rules on who he serves, when, and how. His earnest approach to his chicken stall business has turned him into a viral sensation under the nickname "Chicken Chop Brother" (鸡排哥)
How did "731", one of the most anticipated recent Chinese war films, go from patriotic hype to online backlash? I dove into official narrative, audience reception & everything particular about this movie - that was a "10" but dropped to 3.1 acc to IMDb: www.whatsonweibo.com/evil-unbound...
September 25, 2025 at 5:08 AM
How did "731", one of the most anticipated recent Chinese war films, go from patriotic hype to online backlash? I dove into official narrative, audience reception & everything particular about this movie - that was a "10" but dropped to 3.1 acc to IMDb: www.whatsonweibo.com/evil-unbound...
Perhaps you’ve heard about the online controversy surrounding the Chinese restaurant chain Xibei and the debate on pre-made food. If you have no idea what’s going on and need a clear explainer, we’ve got you covered. Read this one to stay updated: www.whatsonweibo.com/chinas-prefa...
September 20, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Perhaps you’ve heard about the online controversy surrounding the Chinese restaurant chain Xibei and the debate on pre-made food. If you have no idea what’s going on and need a clear explainer, we’ve got you covered. Read this one to stay updated: www.whatsonweibo.com/chinas-prefa...
A brief write-up of this unexpected meme here : www.whatsonweibo.com/chinas-afp-f... (premium – join @whatsonweibo – 100% reader-supported!)
September 10, 2025 at 5:01 PM
A brief write-up of this unexpected meme here : www.whatsonweibo.com/chinas-afp-f... (premium – join @whatsonweibo – 100% reader-supported!)
From the "BBC smog" to "AFP filter": for years, Chinese netizens have joked about how Western media photos make China look darker and gloomier. But during this year’s VDay parade, China's "villain look" was embraced with some netizens thinking AFP wasn't AFP-ing enough, fixing their photos for them.
September 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
From the "BBC smog" to "AFP filter": for years, Chinese netizens have joked about how Western media photos make China look darker and gloomier. But during this year’s VDay parade, China's "villain look" was embraced with some netizens thinking AFP wasn't AFP-ing enough, fixing their photos for them.
Just in case it wasn't clear enough, an extra military parade public-facing message, emphasizing: this is not for decoration nor for show. All it takes is one command and all of these soldiers and their weapons, tanks, drones, missiles are ready for the battlefield.
September 3, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Just in case it wasn't clear enough, an extra military parade public-facing message, emphasizing: this is not for decoration nor for show. All it takes is one command and all of these soldiers and their weapons, tanks, drones, missiles are ready for the battlefield.
Yao Ming can never really keep a low profile at these events, can he. #militaryparade
September 3, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Yao Ming can never really keep a low profile at these events, can he. #militaryparade
"Can you sell?"
"No those are not for sale. Those colorful balloons, however! You could take some with you" 😅 #militaryparade #meme
"No those are not for sale. Those colorful balloons, however! You could take some with you" 😅 #militaryparade #meme
September 3, 2025 at 2:38 AM
"Can you sell?"
"No those are not for sale. Those colorful balloons, however! You could take some with you" 😅 #militaryparade #meme
"No those are not for sale. Those colorful balloons, however! You could take some with you" 😅 #militaryparade #meme
"Kim Jong-un looking at Xi Jinping pointing at things."
September 3, 2025 at 2:35 AM
"Kim Jong-un looking at Xi Jinping pointing at things."