Chinese workers rush to buy botched toy that embodies 'corporate slavery'

A frowning horse plush toy has become a surprise bestseller in China, originally intended to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year. A manufacturing error left many toys with upside-down mouths, causing them to look sad instead of happy.

Customers embraced this "crying horse," seeing it as a representation of modern corporate struggles.

Zhang Huoqing, a shop owner said:

A lot of customers like it, and they said it makes sense: that it suits the spirit of today’s corporate slaves,. This crying horse really fits the reality of modern working people, people joked that the crying horse is how you look at work, while the smiling one is how you look after work.”

The toys went viral after a picture circulated online, prompting increased production.

Each red horse costs about 25 yuan and features the phrase, "may you get rich quickly." Vendors note that the toy offers "emotional value" appealing to young buyers.