A frowning horse toy has emerged as an unlikely viral bestseller in China ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations for the Year of the Horse. The toy was originally designed as a cheerful Lunar New Year decoration, but a manufacturing error changed its entire expression.
A sewing mistake caused the toy's mouth to appear pouty, with nostrils facing downwards, creating a crying face that was initially seen as a defect, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP). However, the flaw soon became its biggest selling point, as netizens embraced the imperfection and began calling it the "crying horse".
Factory owner Zhang Huoqing told Reuters that she offered a refund after discovering the issue, but the customer never returned the toy. Not long after, she found images of it circulating online.
What The Toy Looks Like And What It Represents
The 20 cm tall horse costs 25 yuan (around Rs 330) and is meant to symbolise the Year of the Horse. It is red for good luck and has a golden "money comes quickly" message embroidered on its body, reported SCMP.
Zhang said the toy's gloomy look has struck a chord with young workers in China. "People joked that the crying horse is how you look at work, while the smiling one is how you look after work," Zhang told Reuters.
A sewing mishap turned a Year of the Horse plushie into a viral hit! Designed with a happy grin, this horse plush toy from China's Yiwu unexpectedly gained a "crying" face -- and the imperfect little cutie is now winning hearts online.#YearOfHorse #CryingHorse #Yiwu #Bestseller pic.twitter.com/ESbQriMvD8
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) January 11, 2026
"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," BBC quoted Zhang as saying.
Some young white-collar workers in China say the horse's dour expression reflects their long hours and workplace stress. The trend also fits into the growing popularity of so-called "ugly-cute" toys, which have gained attention in recent years through characters such as Pop Mart's toothy monster Labubu.
One buyer, known online as Tuan Tuan Mami, told SCMP, "This little horse looks so sad and pitiful, just like the way I feel at work. With this crying toy in the Year of the Horse, I hope to leave all my grievances at work behind and keep only happiness."
Orders Explode After Going Viral
Zhang told SCMP that after the toy horse's release in October 2025, daily sales were only around 400 units. But following the viral success of the crying version, she is now receiving thousands of orders every day. To keep up, the factory has added more than 10 production lines. The company has reportedly applied for an appearance patent for the crying-faced horse and expanded into additional merchandise, including keychains and travel neck pillows. While the worker responsible for the mistake has not been identified, Zhang has promised to reward the entire production team.
February 17 marks the start of the Year of the Horse in the Chinese calendar. In Chinese tradition, the horse symbolises vitality, progress and resilience. One person told SCMP, "The crying horse is the perfect mascot for 2026. I hope we can all embrace life's sadness and adversity with ease."
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