‘Genshin Impact’ Fans Go Wild Over New Collab With Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut China and miHoYo, a Shanghai-based company responsible for the hit video game Genshin Impact, have teamed up to release limited-edition set meals across China.


The fast food franchise first announced the collaboration on Weibo in early August, and the set meals have been available to the public since August 29.


genshin impact poster

A promotional poster for Genshin Impact. Image via @GenshinImpact/Twitter


Genshin Impact, released in September of 2020, is set in the fantasy world of Teyvat and has been compared to Nintendo’s action-adventure game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Today, the game is estimated to have more than 60 million active users.


The three limited-edition set meals cost between 69 to 189 RMB (around 10 to 27 USD) and include themed items like Mora (the game’s currency), mouse pads, and dishware.


genshin impact pizza hut meal price

One of the Genshin Impact meal combos. Image via Weibo


As stans of Genshin Impact will know, players can use ingredients they find in the game for cooking meals to replenish their character’s health. As part of the partnership, Pizza Hut dishes and drinks are currently featured in the game, a development that has greatly excited fans.


Some Pizza Hut servers have also dressed up in cosplay costumes for the collaboration.

To say that the collaboration has been well-received by Genshin Impact fans would be putting it lightly; gamers formed snaking queues outside Pizza Hut branches across the country on Monday, the first day of the launch.


One fan allegedly rode the subway for three hours to get to a Pizza Hut, while another queued for more than four hours before being told to leave — but not without being given a poster first.


Others find the commotion ridiculous: “Why are the lines so long? Don’t people need to work or study?”


lines outside pizza hut genshin impact collab china

Customers queuing up outside a Pizza Hut outlet on the first day of the launch. Image via @nise_yoshimi/Twitter


Some Pizza Hut branches were so crowded that the police intervened, forcing the businesses to shut their doors or turn away customers. At least two stores, one in Shanghai’s Global Harbor mall and another in Nanjing, stayed closed on Tuesday, August 30.

This isn’t the first time that Genshin Impact has formed a successful collaboration with an American fast food chain. In March 2021, the brand partnered with KFC to release set meals with highly sought-after badges — a partnership that also resulted in crazy long queues. We have little doubt that Chinese consumers can expect similar crossovers (and lines) in the future.


The Pizza Hut and ‘Genshin Impact’ meal kits will be available until September 17.


Cover image via Weibo

Pink Shake Shack Pop-up Serves Posh Ice Cream in Shanghai

Glittery pink stools, rows of unicorn plushies, and jugs of strawberry lemonade are part of the all-pink decor at the new Shake Shack X Museum of Ice Cream diner in Shanghai.


A product of the social media era, the museum first appeared in New York in 2016 and expanded to Austin, Chicago, and Singapore before making its way to China. The Shanghai branch, which opened in Taikoo Li Qiantan retail complex on July 31, is the first-ever pink Shake Shack in the world.

The Museum of Ice Cream in Shanghai partnered with Shake Shack to develop a slew of exclusive sweet treats, currently being sold at its gift shop and retro restaurant — Marye’s Diner. The shop takes a page from the 1950s, outfitted with a jukebox and pink-and-white checkered floor tiles.


Marye's Diner in Shanghai's Museum of Ice Cream. Image via WeChat

Marye’s Diner in the Museum of Ice Cream, Shanghai. Image via WeChat


Some of the new Shake Shack creations pay homage to Shanghai — aka the ‘Paris of the East’ — with names like ‘On The Bund’ and ‘East Bank Blueberry.’


shake shack museum of ice cream

Some of the special sweet offers. Image via Weibo


“The pink design of the museum and the raspberry custard ice cream are well-matched. The colorful appearance immediately attracted my attention, and the taste was velvety and rich,” reads a museum-goer’s positive review on Weibo.


On the flip side, another netizen commented, “I haven’t been to an internet-famous exhibition like this one in years, but I feel like the industry is still in a downturn after Covid. There’s no new content.”


Regardless of differing opinions, the collaboration provides a rare opportunity to sample four exclusive flavors of ice cream from Shake Shack, so adventurous eaters are bound to book their spots.


Tickets to the museum cost 149 RMB (around 21 USD) per person, but guests can access the restaurant and gift shop without paying an entrance fee.


Cover image via Weibo

Young Skaters Steal the Show at X Games China Skateboarding Ramp Tour

On August 20 and 21, skaters from all walks of life convened in Beijing for the fourth leg of the X Games China Skateboarding Ramp Tour 2022.


Following events in Wuhan, Chongqing, and Tianjin, the Beijing competition represented the last chance for participants to qualify for the finals, which will be held in Shanghai on September 11 and 12.


china skateboard


The adrenaline-fueled competition featured 20 skaters, some of whom were winners from previous stops. Skateboard lovers gathered to watch some spectacular ramp tricks as well as some good ol’ street skating in the nearby square.


“Because of the pandemic, international competitions were postponed,” commented Jillian Chen, a member of the organizing team. “This event is a chance to cultivate Chinese skaters and offer them a platform so they can be discovered.”


xgames china skateboard


The Beijing event saw some extremely young winners (see above): Jia Qining, a 13-year-old skater from Northeast China’s Jilin province, performed a spotless routine that won him the gold medal, while 8-year-olds Cao Shiqi and Meng Lingyan respectively snapped up the silver and bronze medals.


“Some established and professional skaters participated, but we also had emerging talents from all over the country [joining us],” said Chen, who explained how the ramp tour is meant to be a platform for skaters of all ages to socialize and improve their skills.


Besides skateboarding, the event included street dance shows and an erhu (a Chinese string instrument) performance. The festivities came to a close with an after-party at Beijing PH Club, known for its hip hop-bangin’ ragers.


xgames china


Organized annually by American broadcaster ESPN, the X Games features a variety of extreme sports, from skateboarding to snowboarding and motocross.


After debuting in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1995, the event expanded to Asia in 1998 and has since taken place in different countries each year. China has hosted the X Games several times, with the most recent being in Shanghai in 2019.


The ongoing China Skateboard Ramp Tour is a spin-off event that zooms in on skateboarding, a sport that has enjoyed growing popularity in the country in recent years.


Since skateboarding made its Olympics debut in Tokyo, dedicated skateparks have popped up around China, and the country’s sports school system has set up professional training programs.


All images courtesy of X Games China

Xiaolongbao, China’s Famed Soup Dumpling, Now Available at KFC

On August 22, KFC China reintroduced xiaolongbao to the breakfast menu at more than 7,000 of its outlets in select Chinese regions, including Beijing, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Xi’an, and Harbin, among others.


Xiaolongbao is a type of Chinese soup dumpling that originated in the city of Changzhou, near Shanghai, and generally contains pork and an oh-so-delicious broth. Regional varieties of the steamed dumpling are accessible across the country, but most know and love the version from the Yangtze River Delta.


Fast food fanatics in China will likely remember that KFC previously introduced the celebrated soup dumpling to its menus in some Chinese cities back in the spring of 2021. The promotion was for a limited time only.


kfc china xiaolongbao


The relaunch has gone viral on the Chinese internet, and a related hashtag had gained almost 60 million views on the microblogging platform Weibo at the time of writing. Pictures of KFC’s xiaolongbao have circulated on Chinese social media, and while some netizens are turning up their noses at the dumplings, others are excited to sample the dish for themselves.


Interestingly, Shanghai has been excluded from the relaunch. We assume that since the region already boasts some of the best xiaolongbao specialists in the country, the American fast food chain dares not invite conflict. As one Weibo user acutely observed, “It’s not available in Shanghai. Is it because the company is afraid that consumers in Shanghai will find out the food is not authentic?”


That being said, KFC’s previous marketing strategies have included launching new dishes inspired by regional cuisines. For example, in January 2021, the company launched hot and dry noodles, a famous breakfast food from Wuhan, in the dish’s city of origin.


Similarly, when the fast food chain started serving xiaolongbao in May 2021, the product was first served in East China’s Zhejiang province. Zhejiang neighbors Shanghai and is also famous for mouthwatering soup dumplings.


kfc china xiaolongbao breakfast

A wholesome KFC breakfast of xiaolongbao, youtiao, and congee.


As you can see, KFC China often introduces exclusive items inspired by regional Chinese dishes to cater to its domestic customer base. Many Chinese consumers, who might not be as accustomed to chowing down on breakfast sandwiches, still turn to the comforting flavors of their childhood, even at Western fast food chains.


“KFC breakfast has been saving my life,” reads a Weibo user’s caption beneath a picture of KFC’s breakfast offerings.


What’s the next regional Chinese specialty that KFC will serve up? We’ve paid close attention to the chain’s new releases, ranging from skewers to snail noodles, and we will keep you updated!


All images via Weibo

Why ‘Head in the Clouds’ Festival, the ‘Asian Coachella,’ Matters

August 20 to 21 saw the Los Angeles edition of Head in the Clouds unfold in spectacular fashion. The annual music festival by American label 88rising has featured the brightest and most talented Asian American stars and performers of Asian descent since 2018.

Often called the ‘Asian Coachella,’ Head in the Clouds has presented the likes of Joji, Jay Park, Keshi, Rich Brian, Higher Brothers, Japanese Breakfast, and Jackson Wang on its stages.


Many of the aforementioned artists are particularly popular among Asian American youth, and sometimes play at clubs and raves targeted at Asian Americans in L.A.’s popular nightlife hotspot K-town (Korean town).

This year’s breakout stars were arguably Japanese girl group Atarashii Gakko!, whose sharp choreography, schoolgirl uniforms, and energetic performance drove audiences wild.


An Instagram user commented that their show was “easily one of the best performances at HITC this year.”

Chinese heartthrob Jackson Wang reportedly drew one of the festival’s biggest crowds — no surprise. Dressed in a dark purple shirt and tailored suit, the multitalented artist emerged out of a fog and danced to a laser light show while performing some of his recent hits like ‘Cruel.’ At one point, he even took a swig of champagne on stage.


Wang, who has been having an outstanding year, was the first Chinese national to perform at Coachella 2022 after being presented as part of 88rising’s ‘Head in the Clouds’ set. Furthermore, the 28-year-old was recently invited to join Asian American dance collective the Kinjaz.

During the festival finale, Wang returned to the stage to perform alongside Rich Brian, Warren Hue, Chasu, Milli, and Atarashii Gakko! Chinese Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, the star of Everything Everywhere All at Once, also made a surprise appearance at the finale.


A video of Wang and Yeoh hugging onstage has made the rounds on Twitter and has been retweeted by Wang with the caption, “So blessed.”

Head in the Clouds’ success underscores the growth of Asian American voices in the U.S., especially within the entertainment industry. Not only have blockbuster films like Crazy Rich Asians and Turning Red helped to bring Asian American voices into the mainstream, but record labels like 88rising are raising the bar for Asian representation in the music industry.


With offices in New York, L.A., and Shanghai, 88rising has met success by interpreting hip hop through the lens of the Asian experience. The incredibly successful Sichuanese rap group Higher Brothers, which signed with the agency in 2016, is proof that hip hop transcends borders and cultures.


According to the Associated Press, California’s Asian population grew by 25% in the last 10 years, and nearly half of the total number of Asian Americans in the U.S. reside on the West Coast. The growing presence of Asian American youth is changing the face of the entertainment industry and creating new avenues for Asian Americans to experience, express, and empower themselves.


If you couldn’t attend Head in the Clouds in L.A., get tickets for the music festival’s stops in Jakarta (December 3-4) and Manila (December 9-10).


Cover photo via Twitter

‘New Gods: Yang Jian’ Outperforms ‘Minions’ at China’s Box Office

New Gods: Yang Jian by Light Chaser Animation Studio has done phenomenally well since premiering on the Chinese mainland on August 19, making 134 million RMB (19.8 million USD) in its opening weekend alone and almost 300 million RMB by August 29. By comparison, Minions: Rise of Gru by Universal Studios, which is showing in cinemas concurrently, has earned 78.6 million RMB.


A spin-off from the Despicable Me franchise, Minions: Rise of Gru has been incredibly well-received in the global market and was even nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Animated Film.


Minions: Rise of Gru, which has a different ending in China, only opened third in the Chinese market, however, and is unlikely to perform better than Despicable Me 3 or the first Minions movie.


promotional poster for yang jian

Promotional poster for New Gods: Yang Jian. Image via IMDb


New Gods: Yang Jian tells the story of deity-turned-bounty hunter Yang Jian, who embarks on a hero’s quest. This is the latest installment in the New Gods franchise, and it is directed by Zhao Ji and produced by Light Chaser Animation Studios.


The studio has produced several hit Chinese folklore-inspired animated films such as New Gods: Nezha Reborn, White Snake: Origin, and Green Snake.


Loosely based on the 16th-century Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods, the New Gods franchise kicked off with Nezha Reborn (2021), which concentrates on the reincarnation of the deity Nezha and his battles with old enemies. Meanwhile, Yang Jian expands upon the same mythical universe by exploring Yang’s past.



The success of New Gods: Yang Jian is further evidence that the Chinese box office is finally bouncing back after months of Covid-19 outbreaks and lockdowns. Even so, the number of moviegoers across the country has dropped by 42% from last summer.


Robust box office performances by the likes of Taiwanese horror film Incantation, crime drama The Fallen Bridge, and sci-fi comedy Moon Man have contributed to an uptick in movie theater earnings in China in July — the first time in five months — and signal hope for the future of cinema in the country.


Cover photo via IMDb