Why Draco Malfoy Is In every single place Throughout China’s Lunar New Yr
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The internet has done it again. In a twist that absolutely no one saw coming, Draco Malfoy—the sneering, platinum-blonde antagonist from the Harry Potter franchise—has become the unofficial mascot of China’s Year of the Horse celebrations. Yes, you read that correctly. The Slytherin prince is now a symbol of good fortune, and honestly? This is the kind of delightfully unhinged content the internet was made for.
How Did We Get Here?
The viral phenomenon comes down to something beautifully simple: linguistics. Draco Malfoy’s name is transliterated into Mandarin as “Ma Er Fu.”
According to The Times, the word “Ma” means “horse” (马), while “Fu” means good fortune (福). Read together, the name sounds like horses bringing luck, making the character feel especially appropriate for the Year of the Horse.
It’s the kind of wordplay that sparks viral moments, and Chinese social media users have absolutely run with it. The Year of the Horse begins on February 17, 2026, marking the end of the Year of the Snake—and here’s where it gets even better for Potter fans. The snake is the symbol of Slytherin, the Hogwarts house Draco Malfoy belongs to. The transition from Snake year to Horse year feels almost cosmically perfect for this meme to emerge.
The Trend Is Everywhere on Chinese Social Media
If you’re not following this unfold on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, you’re missing out on peak internet culture. Videos shared on Chinese social media show people decorating their homes with red posters known as fai chun or chunlian, which traditionally feature well-wishing phrases for the new year. This year, some of those posters also include images of Draco Malfoy, blending traditional Lunar New Year symbolism with a recognizable pop culture figure.
The trend has gained serious traction on Douyin, where a short video showing someone placing a Malfoy-themed fai chun on a refrigerator received more than 60,000 likes. One commenter responded to the video by writing, “You’re genius.” And honestly? They’re not wrong.
This isn’t just a grassroots social media phenomenon. Businesses have recognized the viral potential and are leaning in hard. In central Henan province, a shopping mall displayed an electronic banner featuring Chinese Spring Festival couplets with Malfoy at the center. The sight of the fictional wizard presiding over traditional holiday decorations is exactly the kind of cultural mashup that defines internet-era celebrations.
People take photos of a giant Lunar New Year poster featuring English actor Tom Felton posing as Draco Malfoy, a character from the Harry Potter movies series, at a shopping mall in Shangqiu, in China’s central Henan province on February 5, 2026. The character has become popular in China in the buildup to the Year of the Horse because the transliteration of his surname contains the Chinese characters for “horse” and “good fortune”, making him an auspicious omen for the year ahead. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) / China OUT
Tom Felton Has Entered the Chat
Perhaps the most satisfying part of any viral trend is when the subject acknowledges it, and Tom Felton did not disappoint. The actor, who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films from 2001 onward, acknowledged the trend by sharing an image on Instagram of a large banner featuring the character hanging inside a Chinese shopping mall. “Magical awakening that attracts abundant wealth,” said the Mandarin characters on the banner.
Felton’s acknowledgment adds an extra layer of legitimacy and delight to the whole phenomenon. When the actual Draco Malfoy is reposting your memes, you know you’ve achieved something special.
Why Harry Potter Resonates So Deeply in China
The Draco Malfoy trend didn’t emerge in a vacuum. The Harry Potter franchise has long been popular in China. Nearly 10 million translated copies of the books were sold before the final installment was released in 2007. Since the launch of Chinese versions of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series in 2000, approximately 200 million copies of the books have been sold in China, according to CGTN.
The films have proven equally popular. In 2020, a re-mastered release of the first Harry Potter movie earned $27.6 million at the Chinese box office, per Variety.
The timing of this viral moment is particularly interesting given Warner Brothers Discovery’s recent announcements. Last year, JP reported that Warner Brothers Discovery announced that it was going to build a Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai, larger than the franchise’s existing studio tours in London and Tokyo.
Calling the experience the “first tour of its kind in China”, the project, which will span 53,000 square meters, is expected to open in 2027. The Draco Malfoy Lunar New Year trend serves as a reminder of just how enthusiastically Chinese audiences engage with the Wizarding World—and how creative that engagement can be.
Whether you’re a Harry Potter fan, a student of internet culture, or just someone who appreciates the beautiful absurdity of a fictional wizard becoming a symbol of prosperity, the Draco Malfoy Lunar New Year trend delivers. Keep an eye on this one—it’s exactly the kind of weird, wholesome, deeply online moment that defines our era.