How 17-Year-Old Offgod Became Hong Kong’s Hottest Young Artist

What were you doing when you were 17 years old? Watching anime, obsessing over your crush, or picking up new hobbies that defined your whole personality? Hong Kong native Andrew Mok, who goes by the alias Offgod, directed his energies in a more productive way, which is paying off now.


Boasting an Adidas campaign, a fashion line, a sizeable following on Instagram, and several album covers for high-profile rappers, Offgod has been recognized by icons like Takashi Murakami, Pharell Williams, and Future.

The artist recently went viral on Instagram after revealing his sculptural attachments designed to be worn over Apple’s headphones, the AirPods Max.


Designed in collaboration with Russian creative Gleb Kostin, the above (see Instagram post) is part of a collection of 3D-printed headphone accessories hand-painted by Offgod.

The young creative rose to fame by creating fan art of his favorite YouTubers before switching to rappers. When sharing his creations on Instagram, the social media-savvy artist always asks his followers to tag the artists he has depicted to draw their attention to his work.

Despite his young age, Offgod understands the meaning and power of ‘hype,’ and has been able to build a unique personal style that resonates with Gen Zers as well as hip hop fans.


His sources of inspiration include the late Off-White designer Virgil Abloh, legendary Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai, and Japanese anime and hip hop icons like A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, and the now-canceled Kanye West.

So far, the young artist hasn’t let fame get to his head. In an interview with the online magazine Lifestyle Asia, he stated that his parents have helped him to stay grounded and that he’s grateful for the opportunities he has had so far.


Cover image via Instagram

The Chinese Internet is Obsessed with World Cup Mascot La’eeb

In the absence of a team of their own to support, Chinese soccer fans are rallying behind this year’s FIFA World Cup mascot instead. Held in Doha, Qatar, this World Cup’s official mascot is La’eeb, a cutesy keffiyeh-inspired figure whose name means ‘super-skilled player’ in Arabic.


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A larger-than-life La’eeb at the World Cup opening ceremony. Image via @FIFAWorldCup/Twitter


On the Chinese lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, guides to making-your-own La’eeb are blowing up. Other mascot-related posts see fans and pets dressed in keffiyehs, which are traditional headdresses worn by men in arid regions.


a mini la'eeb made from tissue paper

A mini La’eeb made from tissue paper. Image via Xiaohongshu


One search in particular, ‘The World Cup mascot has become a tissue-killer,’ referring to the tissues needed to DIY the ghost-like La’eeb, has almost 8 million views.


The Chinese internet has also given the mascot nicknames: ‘dumpling wrapper’ (饺子皮) and ‘wonton wrapper’ (馄饨皮).


a dog dressed up as la'eeb world cup mascot

A dog dressed up as the World Cup mascot. Image via Xiaohongshu


One Weibo user called La’eeb “the best-looking and cutest” World Cup mascot ever. Other netizens have praised its simple, localized design.


Chinese fans have also compared La’eeb to a Qatari prince who made waves on the internet for his dramatic facial expressions during Sunday’s game between Qatar and Ecuador.


qatar prince compared to la'eeb

A meme comparing a Qatari prince to La’eeb. Image via Weibo


La’eeb is not only popular for its cuteness factor, though. Chinese media outlets have emphasized the fact that much of the mascot-related merchandise, including hats, figurines, and plush dolls, is being manufactured in the Chinese province of Guangdong.

However, the mascot has not escaped the controversy swirling around this year’s World Cup, stemming from Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies, hazardous use of migrant labor, and gender inequality issues.


One Weibo user said, “I don’t know where the cuteness of the mascot comes from. I feel sick when I think of the oppression of women [in Qatar].”


Soccer is an exceedingly popular sport to watch in China. According to Ispo Sports, as many as 700 million Chinese people are interested in soccer, and The China Project has named it one of the country’s four most popular sports.


However, the country has only made it to the World Cup once in the event’s entire history, in 2002. In March of this year, China’s men’s soccer team lost in the third round of World Cup qualifiers.


Cover image via Xiaohongshu

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Slated for China Release

Avatar: The Way of Water, the highly-anticipated sequel to Avatar (2009), has secured a theatrical release in China. The film will hit Chinese theaters on December 16, the same day it is set to open worldwide.


20th Century Studios announced the film’s China release in a Weibo post on November 23. The accompanying hashtag received more than 18 million views in the first four hours after the announcement.

The futuristic Avatar franchise is set on a planet named Pandora, inhabited by a native species called the Na’vi. The first film is the highest-grossing movie of all time, making more than 2.9 billion USD in the 13 years since its initial release.


The Chinese release of The Way of Water will come near the end of a difficult year for Chinese box offices, due to factors like Covid-19 lockdowns and limited international film releases.


As of the beginning of November, total box office revenue in China was less than half the amount made by this time in 2019, and 35% down compared to 2021.


official release poster for avatar the way of water

The official Chinese poster for Avatar: The Way of Water


Domestic theaters have also been suffering from a dearth of new films this year. Some of the biggest international hits in recent months, including Top Gun: Maverick, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, have failed to get approval from Chinese film regulators.


However, Avatar: The Way of Water has been spared the same fate. It may be able to re-energize Chinese moviegoers, who shelled out about 200 million USD for the first Avatar film.

A Chinese release is also great news for 20th Century Studios, which is estimated to have spent more than a billion dollars making the film. After all, China is still the world’s second-largest movie market, even with its sluggish box office this year.


Director James Cameron’s own star power may benefit Avatar 2’s performance in Chinese theaters. His 1997 film Titanic has been enduringly popular, and it is still one of the most searched films in China.


All images via Weibo

Collectible Sports Cards Are New Hot Item in China During World Cup

When Chinese Canadian pop star and designer Edison Chen finally joined the Chinese lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu in July 2022, his first unboxing video surprised scores of fans. Instead of showcasing apparel or sneakers, which the fashionista is usually associated with, the star opened a mystery box to reveal a new hobby he had picked up over the past year: collecting sports trading cards.


While card collecting might come across as childish or geeky to some, the prices of some cards released in collaboration with major sports associations like the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL) or Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) aren’t laughable.


Edison Chen opening an NBA National Treasures Basketball box by Panini during a livestream

Edison Chen opening an NBA National Treasures card box by Panini during a livestream. Screengrab via Xiaohongshu


To prove the point, the box Chen opened in his video was from the NBA National Treasures series produced by Panini, an Italian publisher and manufacturer of collectibles, and is priced at 5,000 USD. Each box only contains 10 random cards, and cards featuring popular basketball players can be resold for 10 times their original price.


In related news, American rapper Snoop Dogg famously traded his 30,000 USD car for a Kobe Bryant card last year.


The sports card collecting craze has officially spread to China, where three Lionel Messi cards from the 2016 Panini Flawless series were auctioned off for 320,000-350,000 RMB (about 47,000-49,000 USD) each this year.


Chinese netizens compared the Panini cards to luxury goods, calling them “Hermès for men.” Plus, eBay, the most popular trading platform for collectible cards worldwide, named China the second fastest-growing market in 2021.


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A Lionel Messi collectible card that was auctioned off for 47,000 USD. Screengrab via Weibo


Since the World Cup’s kick-off on November 20, Panini, the only FIFA-authorized company to produce soccer collectible cards this year, has been racking up big bucks again.


During the Russia World Cup in 2018, the company generated 1.4 billion USD — double the previous year’s revenue. Given that this year’s FIFA World Cup is probably the last one for soccer superstars like Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine athlete Lionel Messi, both of whom have millions of followers in China, Panini’s collectible cards will undoubtedly cost more than ever.

According to Huxiu, an online tech and business publication in China, the most popular FIFA Prizm collection now sells for 4,500 RMB (around 630 USD) per box of 12 cards in Beijing. Eight years ago, a similar FIFA collection only cost 1,000 RMB (about 140 RMB) per box.


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A Taobao listing for the Panini FIFA box, which is priced at 4,500 RMB. Screengrab via Taobao


The soaring prices of collectible sports cards have started to attract attention to the still niche industry in China. However, for many true collectors, this isn’t necessarily a good thing, as many of them frown upon buying cards just to turn a profit.


With others driving up the prices of sports cards, many genuine collectors are sad to see their fun hobby and love of sports culture turning into shallow investment opportunities.


Cover image via Twitter

China’s Interest in Controversial 2022 FIFA World Cup Has Not Waned

On November 20, the 2022 FIFA World Cup officially kicked off in Doha, Qatar. Despite having erected extravagant new sports stadiums and polished up its picture-perfect infrastructure, the peninsular Arab country’s new facilities have failed to distract the public eye from a slew of scandals in the nation.


Western journalists and celebrities alike have been calling for a boycott of the soccer tournament. They have accused Qatar of human rights abuses, anti-LGBTQ policies, and ‘sportswashing’ — using a beloved sport to revamp a country’s reputation and gain soft power.


Meanwhile, in China, many have shown consistent interest in the soccer tournament even though the country’s national team failed to qualify for the World Cup.


Chinese conglomerates like Wanda Group and Vivo have invested over 1.3 billion USD in sponsorships for the event, outspending long-term American sponsors such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Budweiser.

Corporations aside, Chinese people are also expressing a massive interest in the World Cup. The game’s official hashtag on Weibo, China’s top microblogging platform, amassed 37 billion views in just a few days.


News of a die-hard Chinese soccer fan has also gone viral on Weibo, as the 25-year-old quit his job in the public sector and flew to Doha to watch the matches live.


Chinese celebrities, including ‘little fresh meat’ actor-singer Lu Han, have added their two cents to trending conversations about the sporting event and have tried to guess which team will secure first place.


Netizens have joked about the results of group stage draws, especially since some matches are happening between nations with complicated histories — not necessarily in terms of soccer, but regarding geopolitical conflicts. Some examples are Germany versus Japan, Iran versus the USA, and Wales versus Britain.


To cater to Chinese soccer fans, Belgium and Spain’s soccer teams have formed partnerships with the Chinese lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu. Part of this involves sharing exclusive content on the platform, including team highlights and behind-the-scenes preparations.


2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar

Qatar’s Al-Thumama Stadium is a venue for the FIFA World Cup 2022. Image via Depositphotos


Soccer has always been a popular sport in China. With nearly 200 million active fans, the Chinese market has attracted considerable international attention in recent years. (Fun fact: The 2018 World Cup in Russia has over 13.4 billion views on Chinese streaming platforms, such as Migu, Youku, and CNTV.)


Athletes like Argentinian soccer players Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo even have Weibo profiles with millions of followers. However, China’s men’s soccer team has a long history of abysmal performances and has repeatedly disappointed domestic fans.


Cover image via Twitter

150-year-old Shipwreck Recovered From Yangtze River

After midnight on November 21, a 150-year-old wooden ship creatively named the Yangtze Estuary Ship No. 2 was recovered off the coast of Hengsha, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River.

According to Chinese media outlet Guangming Net, the ship was first discovered in 2015. The recovery process officially started in Shanghai in March of this year after more than six years of underwater archeological investigation.


This spring, the project had to be put on hold during the Shanghai lockdown. In June, pre-salvage cleaning work resumed and was completed after a month. During the process, salvage workers lowered 22 giant beams to wrap around the entire shipwreck in preparation for the actual lifting.


The final stage of recovery began the night of November 20, during a period of ideal weather conditions. The lifting process took more than four hours.


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The mast of the Yangtze Estuary Ship No. 2 emerges


The Shanghai Administration of Cultural Heritage first discovered the 38-meter-long ship through sonar scanning technology. Archeological investigations indicated that it was the largest and best-preserved underwater wreck ever found in the country.


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A diagram depicting the underwater archeological excavation process before the recovery of the ship


The vessel was a merchant ship theorized to have been built during the Tongzhi period (1862-1875) of the Qing Dynasty. Archeologists have discovered priceless relics such as Jingdezhen porcelain in some of the ship’s 31 cabins.


Other mementos from the wreck include Yixing clay wares, Vietnamese hookahs, and shipping construction materials.


porcelain wares found on the yangtze estuary ship no 2 so far

The porcelain wares found on the ship


Many believe the recovered vessel is a junk boat (沙船, sha chuan), a flat-bottomed ship historically used for trade due to its large load capacity. These boats were crucial to the growth of Shanghai’s shipping industry.


china shipwreck, lost ship yangtze river, archeology china

A visualization of the Yangtze Estuary No. 2


Yangtze Estuary No. 2 is the first ship to be recovered from Chinese waters in 15 years, since Nanhai No.1 was salvaged from the South China Sea in 2007.


All images via Weibo