Draco Malfoy, the iconic villain from the Harry Potter series, has unexpectedly become a mascot for the Chinese Lunar New Year, which ushers in the Year of the Horse. The character's Mandarin transliteration, "mǎ ěr fú," contains the characters for "horse" and "fortune," making it an auspicious combination for the festivities.
The wordplay has sparked a wave of memes, fan art, and themed merchandise across Chinese social media. Images of a young Malfoy, played by actor Tom Felton, appear on red Lunar New Year posters and riding cartoon horses, adorning refrigerators, offices, and shopping malls.
Felton, 38, who recently reprised his role in the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, acknowledged the trend by reposting on Instagram a photo of his face on a red banner in a Chinese shopping mall. The banner read, "Magical awakening that attracts abundant wealth."
The surge in Malfoy mania coincides with preparations for the Lunar New Year, which begins later this month. Since the Chinese versions of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series launched in 2000, approximately 200 million copies have been sold in China, according to CGTN.
Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to build a Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai, spanning 53,000 square metres. Expected to open in 2027, it will be the first such tour in China and larger than existing tours in London and Tokyo.
