'Blind box' craze grips China's youth, and mints toymakers a fortune


By AGENCY
The ‘blind box’ (miniature) toys, first popularised in Japan, have fixated China in recent years, driving a booming second-hand market and decorating the desks of white-collar workers across the country. — AFP

Tiny unicorns and cartoon girls in clown costumes line the shelves of Wang Zhaoxue’s study in Beijing – tokens of China’s mania for “blind boxes” that has made fortunes for toymakers and even caught the attention of those in power.

The 18-year-old music student is one of the legions of young Chinese hooked on snaffling up the toys – from pop art-inspired figurines to mini-archaeological treasures – to complete whole “ranges” through endless purchases.

Play, subscribe and stand a chance to win prizes worth over RM39,000! T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 11.12/month

Billed as RM 11.12 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 9.87/month

Billed as RM 118.40 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Living

How refill stores are changing the way we reduce waste
Slowly, slowly, these snails are returning from near extinction
How two cousins turned a dream into a Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain
A home and school in Nairobi offer street children a better future
Children's museum in US gives families with sensory needs a calm space to play
Airlifting pets and their owners who were trapped by the Middle East crisis
KL Cocktail Week returns for its third year, with events across KL and PJ
Older Ukrainians in Berlin are learning German to rebuild their lives
Sperm can't swim properly in space, study says
A Japanese city received 21 gold bars with instructions: Fix your water pipes

Others Also Read