'Crying Horse' Toy With Upside-Down Smile Becomes Bestseller in China Ahead of Year of the Horse Celebrations 2026; Know Story Behind the 'Cry-Cry Horse'

Mumbai, January 28: As China prepares to enter the Year of the Horse on February 17, an unlikely red plush toy has galloped to the top of bestseller lists. Known online as the "Crying Horse" or "Cry-Cry Horse," the toy features a downturned mouth and bashful eyes that give it a distinctly melancholic expression. Despite its sad demeanour, the plush has become a sensation at the Yiwu International Trade City - the world's largest wholesale market - with factories reportedly adding over ten production lines to meet a surge in demand reaching 20,000 units daily.

A Manufacturing Mistake Turned Success

The story of the "Crying Horse" began not with a marketing strategy, but with a human error. Zhang Huoqing, owner of the Yiwu-based toy shop Happy Sister, revealed that the plush was originally designed to have a festive, upturned smile. During the assembly process, however, a factory worker accidentally sewed the mouth on upside down. China: Shenzhen Hotel Guest Triggers Indoor Deluge by Using Water Sprinkler To Hang Clothes, Video Goes Viral.

When a customer in Hangzhou received the "defective" horse, she posted a photo of its pouty face on social media. Rather than sparking complaints, the image went viral, amassing hundreds of millions of views on platforms like Sina Weibo. Users found the horse’s sorrowful look endearing, leading Zhang to lean into the mistake and intentionally manufacture the "sad" version.

A Mirror for the Modern Workplace

The toy’s popularity is largely driven by China’s young professionals, who have embraced the horse as a "cyber mouthpiece" for workplace exhaustion. Many netizens noted that the horse’s weary expression perfectly mirrors the "cattle and horse" (niu ma) mindset - a popular euphemism used by young workers to describe feeling overworked and under-pressure.

"The crying horse is how you look at work; the smiling horse is how you look after work," one viral social media post remarked. Analysts suggest the toy provides "emotional value" and a sense of realism in a market often saturated with overly cheerful holiday decorations. What’s Behind China’s ‘Are You Dead’ App And Its Sudden Viral Rise.

The 'Ugly-Cute' Trend and Economic Impact

The "Crying Horse" fits into a broader consumer trend in China known as chou meng or "ugly-cute," where imperfect or quirky designs resonate more deeply with consumers than traditional perfection. This shift has allowed small manufacturers in Yiwu to pivot quickly, turning a production flaw into a branded intellectual property (IP) that now includes keychains, pillows, and international orders from Russia to Southeast Asia. Despite its sudden fame, the "Crying Horse" remains affordable, with retail prices holding steady at approximately 25 yuan ( USD 3.50). Its success highlights the agility of China’s supply chains, which can now translate viral internet sentiments into physical products almost overnight.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2026 07:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).