China's Lunar New Year Celebrations Take an Unexpected Turn with Draco Malfoy
Millions across China are embracing the character of Draco Malfoy, one of Harry Potter's most notorious villains, as they prepare for the year of the horse. The wordplay on his name - which literally means "horse fortune" in Mandarin - has sparked a frenzy among fans, who have taken to social media to share memes, fan art, and merchandise featuring the young wizard.
Tom Felton, the actor who played Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, even noticed the trend and reposted a photo of himself beaming from a red banner at a Chinese shopping mall on his Instagram story. The phrase "Magical awakening that attracts abundant wealth" was emblazoned across the banner in Mandarin characters.
The surge in Malfoy mania is part of a larger phenomenon, as fans of the franchise have become increasingly popular in China over the years. Since the launch of Chinese versions of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series in 2000, an estimated 200 million copies of the books have been sold across the country.
To cater to this growing fanbase, Warner Brothers Discovery has announced plans to build a massive Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai, which promises to be the largest of its kind in China. The 53,000 sq metre project is expected to open in 2027 and will likely further fuel the fascination with Malfoy and other beloved characters from the wizarding world.
As millions across China prepare for the lunar new year, which begins later this month, it's clear that Draco Malfoy has become an unlikely - yet endearing - icon of good fortune.
Millions across China are embracing the character of Draco Malfoy, one of Harry Potter's most notorious villains, as they prepare for the year of the horse. The wordplay on his name - which literally means "horse fortune" in Mandarin - has sparked a frenzy among fans, who have taken to social media to share memes, fan art, and merchandise featuring the young wizard.
Tom Felton, the actor who played Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, even noticed the trend and reposted a photo of himself beaming from a red banner at a Chinese shopping mall on his Instagram story. The phrase "Magical awakening that attracts abundant wealth" was emblazoned across the banner in Mandarin characters.
The surge in Malfoy mania is part of a larger phenomenon, as fans of the franchise have become increasingly popular in China over the years. Since the launch of Chinese versions of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series in 2000, an estimated 200 million copies of the books have been sold across the country.
To cater to this growing fanbase, Warner Brothers Discovery has announced plans to build a massive Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai, which promises to be the largest of its kind in China. The 53,000 sq metre project is expected to open in 2027 and will likely further fuel the fascination with Malfoy and other beloved characters from the wizarding world.
As millions across China prepare for the lunar new year, which begins later this month, it's clear that Draco Malfoy has become an unlikely - yet endearing - icon of good fortune.
it's like he's the face of good luck or somethin! 
and i gotta admit, his name literally means "horse fortune" so that's a pretty cool connection to the year of the horse. 
but what's wild is how the fans have taken to social media with all these adorable memes and fan art... it's like they're tryna spread some positivity and wealth 
. It just goes to show how magical (heh, pun intended) the wizarding world really is, even for a non-magical person like me 
.
i need a dragon scale phone case ASAP 
can you even imagine walking into a chinese shopping mall with that banner in your face?? 
200 million copies sold is wild tho... gotta give credit where credit is due 
! Who would've thought that a character from a popular book series like Harry Potter would be the symbol of good luck? It just goes to show how magic can bring people together, even across different cultures and age groups. Tom Felton's repost on Instagram was a nice touch, adding a personal touch to the fan frenzy 
️.
. also got to say, 200 million copies sold is insane! china's love for harry potter is no joke 
. Can't wait to see the studio tour in Shanghai – I'm sure it'll be lit 
It's also cool to see Tom Felton being part of it too, reposting that photo from the Chinese shopping mall. The whole thing just feels like a big celebration of fandom and community. I'm hyped for the new Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai – can't wait to check it out! 
he literally means horse fortune in mandarin and its so cool to see fans making the most of it 
the fact that tom felton reposted it on instagram and all the merch is selling out already is proof that this trend is REAL 
meanwhile, warner brothers is getting ready to cash in on this craze by building a massive harry potter studio tour in shanghai... 200 million copies of the books sold in china since 2000 is wild 
? still its kinda cool to see fans going wild on him, especially since the harry potter books have been huge in china for ages. i wonder what other characters will be next tho 
! The new studio tour is gonna be lit, can't wait to check it out 
