HANOI, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- As the Year of the Horse approaches, a stubby Chinese cartoon horse named Ma Xiao Ye has galloped into Vietnamese hearts, winning over consumers not only for its cuteness, but also for the message it conveys.
Since last October, the intellectual property (IP) character, a round-bodied, short-legged horse with big, watery eyes, has flooded Vietnamese social media feeds with captions such as "working while crying" and "still moving forward even when it is hard," turning a simple cartoon into a shared symbol of resilience.
Le Thi Thanh Huyen, 34, a Hanoi-based communications professional, told Xinhua that she first noticed the character on Facebook during the year-end work rush and immediately shared it with her friends, saying the character mirrored her experience.
"I felt a strong sense of empathy. No matter how difficult things are, you still have to keep moving forward," she said.
Huyen chose red envelopes and keychains as gifts for her friends while visiting a shop selling Ma Xiao Ye merchandise, stating that she wanted to pass along the spirit of perseverance.
At Comicola, a distributor of Ma Xiao Ye products in Hanoi, store manager Dao Phuong Thao said many customers are drawn to the character for similar reasons, describing its appeal as rooted in zodiac symbolism and its underlying message.
"The Chinese creator designed Ma Xiao Ye around the idea of making efforts every day," she said, noting that several companies have ordered the products as Lunar New Year gifts for their employees, as the character is associated with encouragement and the idiom "Ma Dao Cheng Gong," meaning instant success upon the arrival of the horse.
Leo Dinh, CEO of Sun Wolf Animation Studio, the official representative of Ma Xiao Ye in Vietnam, said he contacted the Chinese creator after noticing its rapid spread online, with discussions focusing on developing it as a symbolic figure rather than solely as a commercial product.
The studio has introduced Ma Xiao Ye across illustrated books, plush toys, keychains, desk calendars and red envelopes. "When people see the horse, they should see themselves, making efforts every day to realize their dreams," Leo said.
Ma Xiao Ye's warm welcome in Vietnam comes alongside growing interest in other Chinese IP characters.
"Each IP character has its own narrative," a staff member from Chinese collectible toy retailer Pop Mart in Hanoi said, adding that while many buy them for their cute appearance, others feel connected to their stories.
Eighteen-year-old Gia Khanh from Hanoi said he began collecting Mega Space Molly figures, astronaut-themed toys, after traveling to Shanghai and noticing their popularity there, while Huyen said her interest in IP characters grew after she learned about the messages conveyed through their designs.
Huyen bought several Crybaby products for her 10-year-old daughter after learning that the wide-eyed dolls, with teardrop-streaked cheeks and trembling lips, encourage children to express their emotions rather than hide them.
"I want my daughter to know she is in a safe environment where she can freely share how she feels," she told Xinhua.
Meanwhile, Hien Trang, a 40-year-old psychological coach in Hanoi, noted that while blind boxes generate excitement and curiosity, children are particularly susceptible to the fear of missing out.
Analyzing the Chinese IP phenomenon, Pham Minh Quan, a PhD candidate and lecturer at the Faculty of Arts and Design, School of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Arts under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said it goes beyond an entertainment trend.
"It shows a shift from symbolic icons to everyday characters that carry emotional and therapeutic meaning," he said, adding that IP characters are able to connect individual experiences into a shared emotional community.
Quan said future trends may move from importing ready-made models to localized collaboration, including Vietnam-specific designs and partnerships with local artists, allowing Vietnam to move deeper into the regional IP value chain rather than remaining solely a consumer market. ■