Sad Horse Plush Becomes Lunar New Year’s Unexpected Viral Star

In China, a new plush toy has become a sensation just before the Lunar New Year. This year, the Chinese zodiac celebrates the Year of the Horse, and a special horse plushie is going viral. What makes this toy unique is its sad, frowning face, which was actually created by accident. At the Happy Sister shop in Yiwu, a worker sewed the horse's smile upside down, making it look like the horse was crying. The shop owner, Zhang Huoqing, thought she would have to refund the customer who bought the first sad horse. However, after a photo of the toy was posted online, it quickly became a bestseller. Young workers in China found the toy's gloomy expression relatable. Many said the crying horse represents how they feel at work, while a smiling horse would show how they feel after work. Zhang explained, 'A lot of customers like it, and they said it makes sense: that it suits the spirit of today's corporate slaves. ' She added, 'This crying horse really fits the reality of modern working people. ' The toy's popularity grew so much that Zhang's factory had to increase production to keep up with demand. People from other countries also started ordering the crying horse. One buyer, known as Tuan Tuan Mami, told the South China Morning Post, 'This little horse looks so sad and pitiful, just like the way I feel at work. With this crying toy in the Year of the Horse, I hope to leave all my grievances at work behind and keep only happiness. ' The plush horse is about 20 centimeters tall and costs 25 yuan, which is around two pounds and sixty-two pence. It is red, a color that brings good luck in China, and it wears a golden collar with a bell. The words 'money comes quickly' are embroidered in gold on its body. Another shop owner in Yiwu, Lou Zhenxian, said she thought the toy was ugly, but she understood why young people liked it. She said, 'It's the kind of emotional value young people look for these days. ' Lou described how young people go to work feeling like the crying horse and become happy after work. However, she also said that people should not feel too sad or too happy, but instead work hard and enjoy their free time. The Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in China. It will be celebrated in February, marking the start of the Year of the Horse. The Chinese zodiac has twelve animals, and each year is named after one of them in a repeating cycle. The crying horse toy has become a symbol for young workers who want to express their feelings and find some humor during the holiday season. As the new year approaches, many people are buying the toy to bring luck and share a laugh with friends and family.