Harry Potter’s Villain Draco Malfoy Trends in China’s Lunar New Year Celebration – Here’s Why – The Times of India

Draco Malfoy, the scheming schoolboy who served as Harry Potter’s rival in JK Rowling’s fantasy series, has emerged as an unlikely mascot for China’s Lunar New Year celebrations, according to Reuters.Images of Malfoy, played by actor Tom Felton in the film adaptations, now appear on red holiday decorations and merchandise across China, from posters and door hangers to phone cases. The surge in popularity is linked to the Chinese translation of his surname, Ma-er-fu, which combines the characters for ‘horse’ and ‘fortune’, making it a promising match for the Year of the Horse.Social media platforms have been flooded with photos of fans pasting red Malfoy posters on their doors. On e-commerce platform Taobao, shoppers can buy a set of four Malfoy posters for 11 yuan ($1.60), Reuters reported.Posts on social media showed a huge image of Malfoy in his Hogwarts uniform draped across several floors of a shopping center in central China’s Henan province.The Harry Potter franchise continues to enjoy strong popularity in China, despite foreign films accounting for only a small portion of box office revenue due to strict quotas and a growing focus on domestic productions. Warner Bros has agreed to develop a Harry Potter Studio Tour in Shanghai in partnership with Chinese conglomerate Jinjiang International, the group announced last year.Meanwhile, Beijing’s Universal Studios theme park features The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a special area with themed rides and attractions. Complementing the renewed interest, all eight Harry Potter films were re-released in Chinese cinemas in 2024.