BEIJING — Young Chinese people hoping to improve their chances of success have a new digital lucky charm. That’s Kris Jenner, an American reality TV star.
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Gen Z social media users are harnessing the “mommy” energy of the wealthy Kardashian-Jenner matriarch to express their prosperity in a tough economy. Images of Jenner, 70, have proliferated on Chinese platforms such as Weibo, Xiaohongshu and Douyin in recent days, most commonly used as profile pictures or screen wallpapers.
Digitally transform into a CEO in a suit, a doctor in a white coat, or a Ph.D. A student in a graduation gown, she is a symbol that morphs to reflect the user’s various career goals.
Photos of Jenner, who is thought to have a net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars, are often superimposed with images of dollar bills and captions in English with phrases such as “Let’s manifest” and “Stay rich, stay Slay.” On Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, the hashtag, which translates to #KrisJennerManifestation, has garnered nearly 2.7 million views.
“Using her photo as a profile picture gives off the vibe of ‘I have a power that cannot be ignored,'” said Chichi Xu, a university student in Shanghai. Xu said she uses the image to boost her confidence, especially when talking to her research supervisor.
“Her eyes are sharp and I feel like she’s a powerful woman who’s measuring herself up. I want people to take me seriously with that image,” Xu added.
While the meme is playful, the wish for good luck is completely serious. China’s young people face a tough job market and are trying to stay competitive as economic growth slows.
Digital optimism stands in contrast to the “lying down” mentality that has long been prevalent among Chinese youth, who withdraw in the face of social and economic pressures and do only the bare minimum to survive.
Chinese social media users say the Jenner meme reflects the belief that luck and opportunity may eventually come your way, if only you can attract them.
“For me, manifestation is believing in the power of belief itself,” said George Chao, a 23-year-old student from Shandong province. I hope Jenner’s atmosphere will help me pass the environmental science paper I’m writing. “People joke about wanting Jenner’s nine-figure fortune, but I think that’s also a kind of positive self-guide.”
Jenner, the mother of Kourtney Kardashian Barker, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Rob Kardashian, and Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner, is not known to have ever visited China. But she’s better known here as the mastermind behind her family’s entertainment and business empire. Social media users nicknamed her “Empress Dowager” after the woman who ruled China through her young son during the Qing Dynasty in the late 19th century.
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Marcelo Wang, a Chinese influencer who teaches Mandarin and explains Chinese pop culture to a global audience, said in a video last week that Jenner is popular in China because she is “one of the hardest-working businesswomen in America, and Chinese people really respect hard work.”
Jenner herself acknowledged the trend, commenting, “Y’all are doing great, so cute!!!” In one of Wang’s Instagram videos, she referenced her catchphrase from the family’s reality show.
Viral memes and clips from “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and other shows have further solidified the family’s online presence in China. Kim Kardashian, founder of fashion brand Skims, has been interacting with Chinese fans on RedNote, and the brand is steadily gaining popularity in the country.
Jenner may be the lucky newbie, but she’s just part of a long tradition of Chinese Gen Zers wishing them luck. Other symbolic actions they noted include using cell phone cases depicting the Chinese god of wealth, reposting images of goldfish, traditionally associated with prosperity, and visiting temples to pray for success in career, academics, and relationships.
This year, as the Year of the Horse approaches, some Chinese people have decorated their homes with pictures of Draco Malfoy, a character from the Harry Potter movies, because “Malfoy” sounds like “lucky horse” in Chinese.
Jenner is also not the first foreign woman to be hailed as a role model in China due to her and her family’s business success, as is May Musk, the mother of tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has also gained a large following online.
Danica Lu, 23, a computer science major from Guangzhou, said she hoped Jenner, a “powerful woman with a proven track record,” would bring her good luck when looking for a job.
She realizes that relying on luck is not enough. “You still have to rely on your own efforts. As they say in Chinese, iron is only strong when it is struck with a hammer,” Lu said.
But for many, the first step to changing their fortunes may be changing their profile picture to Kris Jenner’s.
