Muhammad Darwish
A few months ago, my daughter suddenly screamed and gestured hysterically whenever she saw the “Labobo” doll hanging on the girls’ bags.
Then she calmed down – or so it seemed – and repeated her mother’s words that she was just a “useless doll”, trying to convince herself that her mother’s opinion was correct.
However, when I took her to a store that sells “Labobo” dolls in Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, and her eyes fell on shelves full of boxes of these dolls, she could not help herself. She rushed to the corner of the display, grabbing the boxes and clutching them to her chest, insisting that I buy her one like the other girls. Completely weak in the face of my daughter’s insistence, I gave in and bought her the doll – which costs 300 dirhams – in an emotional act that I have not yet comprehended.
As soon as she grabbed the doll, she quickly opened the box just like girls do on TikTok, anticipating what color she would get. When she discovered that she had a light green color, she jumped from her place and started screaming with joy. Why? Don’t ask me. This ritual seems to be part of the experience of owning the most famous doll in the world today.
Foreign Policy magazine recently published an exciting article that dealt with the most prominent penetration of Chinese soft power, achieved – quite deservedly – through the “Labobo” doll, which in a short period of time became one of the most sought-after accessories around the world. “Labobo” has surpassed all of China’s previous attempts at cultural influence on the West, which failed, as the magazine confirms.
The article, written by geopolitical analyst Bobby Ghosh, points out that Chinese think tanks have spent decades dealing with the concept of power.
Soft, like a mathematical equation that needs to be solved. However, the success of a cute plastic doll, with a scary smile, in reaching the Western and global “cultural conscience” turned the tables and came without any government support – contrary to what Beijing was planning.
The article also reviews a series of failed investment attempts made by the Chinese government in the field of soft power, from producing huge-budget films, to attempts to spread the Chinese language globally. However, these efforts were met with suspicion in the West, and were considered open intelligence attempts. Even the TikTok application, despite its overwhelming success in America, always seeks to hide its Chinese origin, so it does not show the American user Chinese content.
Josh says that Chinese academics tried to understand the secret of South Korea’s success in winning the hearts and minds of Westerners through drama and musical groups, and expressed their astonishment at the ability of a small country with limited capabilities compared to China to have a cultural influence in the West. He comments that the Chinese never realized that true cultural influence is not made by official decision, nor can it be bought with money.
What is noteworthy is that “Labobo” was designed by Kissing Lang from Hong Kong. The former British colony that was known for its openness and understanding of Western culture. It is the same city that presented the world with artistic icons such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, who enjoy immense global popularity. The irony is that the one who made “Labobo” become an international fashion trend was not a Chinese person, but rather a famous Korean singer who hung the doll on her bag, and Western celebrities imitated it to become a phenomenon.
Josh confirms that creativity alone was behind the success of “Labobo.” It does not carry a political agenda, and it does not require deep cultural awareness to fall in love with it, and its strange and distinct shape from other dolls was one of the reasons for its great popularity. The writer calls on the Chinese authorities, who are still searching for effective tools for soft power, to absorb the lesson of “Labobo” well and urges them to unleash innovators, without imposing political agendas.
I see “Labobo” as a lesson full of lessons not only for China, but for every country that believes that by spending money alone it can influence the world and capture minds and hearts. It is certain that many countries need their own “Labobo”.
