Year of the sad horse: Factory mistake creates viral toy in China | TheStarTV.com

Year of the sad horse: Factory mistake creates viral toy in China

Published on 26 Jan 2026 12:30:43 PM

At Yiwu International Trade City, which is China’s largest wholesale market, customers crowd into a small shop searching for an unlikely bestseller ahead of the Lunar New Year.

The object drawing their attention is a red plush horse with a downturned mouth, nicknamed “crying horse” by online users. It was created by accident as a result of a manufacturing error.

WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Keywords
news, thestartv, the star, factory error, manufacturing mistake, toy, china, yiwu, year of the horse, crying, sad, zhejiang, zhang huoqing, viral

At Yiwu International Trade City, which is China’s largest wholesale market, customers crowd into a small shop searching for an unlikely bestseller ahead of the Lunar New Year.

The object drawing their attention is a red plush horse with a downturned mouth, nicknamed “crying horse” by online users. It was created by accident as a result of a manufacturing error.

WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Keywords:
news, thestartv, the star, factory error, manufacturing mistake, toy, china, yiwu, year of the horse, crying, sad, zhejiang, zhang huoqing, viral

Up next

Autoplay

Mastering Mandarin paves the way for a brighter future, say parents

Chen Xing and Xiao Yue's magical debut at Zoo Negara delight young and old

Rewind 2025 | Malaysia’s top news stories

Bookworms don’t sleep: The Library, BookXcess’s new 24-hour megastore opens

Reviving Malaysia’s gentle giants | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

Lighting up Borneo, one village at a time | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

From car boot to major aid hub | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

Growing Sabah’s elephant lifeline | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

Saving babies, rebuilding families | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

Second life for broken items | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

A journey to uplift underprivileged children | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

A legacy of saving lives | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

Empowering families, preserving dignity | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

Upcycling wood and empower B40 youth | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

Be prepared for continuous rain, strong winds for the next two days, warns METMalaysia

Recognising the Unsung, Inspiring the Next | Star Golden Hearts Award 2025

A mother and daughter’s journey beyond cancer

Lost melodies from the plantations

Breaking the silence between the bells

Eyes in the sky to tackle Penang’s traffic woes during LRT build

Part 3: The dream unfolds at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS

Part 2: Walking into the hall of dreams

Part 1: Sri Dasmesh Pipe Band marches onto DFP stage this National Day

Celebrating Malaysia’s cultural diversity in dance

Badminton superstar An Se-young's story: Meteoric rise in school

Malaysia through their lens: Chinese influencers boost local travel buzz

From crosswalk to camera roll: Chinese tourists flock to viral KL spot

Going deep to study scammers using AI deepfake videos

Tea master showcases Malaysia’s ‘cha’ culture

Expanded SST kicks in: What you need to know

Born to be wild: Nabalu the newborn gibbon

Father's Day 2025: Dads who shaped us

Life of a single mother and truck driver

Grains of memory: A couple’s tribute to Panjiri and the past

Reckless thrills, deadly consequences: The rising toll of teen road accidents in Malaysia

Devoted cat sitter forgoes Hari Raya celebrations to care for feline clients

Bangi Sentral bustles with shoppers as Hari Raya nears

Thaipusam 2025: Urumi melam, the heartbeat of the festival

Notable moments throughout 2024: Part Two #yearender2024 #TheStarRewind2024

Notable moments throughout 2024: Part One #yearender2024 #TheStarRewind2024

Flood: Kembara Kitchen delivers "hero meals" to needy

Vibrant tiger murals bring new life to Gerik

From forest guardians to wildlife saviours | Star Golden Hearts Award 2024

Star Golden Hearts Award 2024 - Double Celebrations of Deserving Unsung Heroes

Chef Dave shares sweet recipe for Deepavali

Fan Bingbing on director Chong: He's my type of guy

Wheel-chair users share struggles and frustrations using disabled toilets in the Klang Valley

'I miss football and my heart aches,' says Faisal Halim in first public appearance

Calls for an inclusive Kuala Lumpur

China and Malaysia, connected through time

Copter tragedy: Senior Seaman Joanna Felicia Rohna laid to rest

ESG Positive Impact Awards 2023

Ethnic Indian lion dancers continue their late master's legacy

Thaipusam 2024: Shear commitment

Paddling against the tide: Cancer survivors find strength in dragon boating

Remembering our railway men

‘Iron Lady’ makes it to Mt Everest base camp at age 73

Recalling the Pos Tohoi tragedy

High Spirits for A Dying Art

From mother to daughters, a generational legacy of service

She's 17, and drums for Malaysian rock legends Search: 'Music is my life'

Challenges of manning world's busiest checkpoints

Former 1MDB lawyer arrested, says Home Minister

Don't treat us as free labour, says student activist

Mother’s Day 2023 makeover for Orang Asli women

Barfi is more than a sweet treat, it’s a piece of Vaisakhi celebration

Tradition of Kejut Sahur still alive in Taman Setia Balakong

Why we're underdiagnosing autistic girls | R.AGE

Najib Razak fails in bid to get SRC conviction reviewed

MRT Putrajaya Line Phase Two to start operations on March 16

Nasi kandar stall named after Saddam

The Journey of Devotion : Kavadi carrier for 20 years

Chelsia’s charitable heart

Genting van crash: Man heartbroken over loss of three family members

Thailand rolls out the red carpet for PM Anwar

Turkiye quake: A photograph and its story

PM Anwar dismisses claims govt using MACC as political tool

Veteran lawyer Gopal Sri Ram passes away at 79

Sacked and suspended Umno big guns return fire

Lunar New Year celebrations around the world

Boy trapped in shipping container for six days

Malaysian artisans keep lion-head making tradition alive for Lunar New Year

Notable moments throughout 2022 #yearender2022 #TheStarRewind2022

Sombre affair at SJKC Mun Choong in memory of Batang Kali landslide victims

Chinese couple in JB celebrate their union with Malay tradition

Rain or shine, devoted man shows up at wife's grave daily

Guthrie Dawn Raid: A look back in history

Insight job: Mortuary make-up artist

Autism Cafe Project: A project born out of love for son

Preserving an ancient Sikh martial art - Gatka

Tired of waiting for authorities to act, these “rebels” fix potholes on their own

Best way to stop Covid-19 wave: Stay at home, says Health DG

Talented Malaysian student creates her own K-drama love story animation

Fuze Ecoteer volunteers clean Sg Kayu Ara every week to protect otters

The home cook who beat Gordon Ramsay

Telling stories through murals

Finding friendship through charity

Ismail Sabri: The MCO is still in force, okay?

Murals brighten dull street walls in Klang

EXCLUSIVE: An ambassador awaits her return

Oldest living woman shares her secret

Treetop student Veveonah keeps her feet on the ground

Dexamethasone should only be used on severe Covid-19 patients

Court dismisses Dr M's bid to remain Bersatu member pending suit against party

PJ OCPD visits 'Aunty Ah Siong' who gave him pau 30 years ago

High Court orders Isa Samad to enter defence in Felda graft case

Old folks home in Kuala Selangor is latest Covid-19 cluster

Pre-schools, kindergartens allowed to re-open from July 1, says Ismail Sabri

Health DG: No 'barbershop cluster'

Tony Fernandes: AirAsia to add more flights by July

Malaysia among top 5 globally to have successfully contained Covid-19

Covid-19: 8 new cases, one death, active cases dip below 1,000

Covid-19 positive detainee dies at Bukit Jalil Immigration depot

If Covid-19 outbreak detected, public areas like zoos can be closed again, warns senior minister

Patrick Teoh charged with insulting Johor Crown Prince

Ismail Sabri holds last Covid-19 daily presser, says no more colourful batik shirts next week

Ismail Sabri: Malaysians can now enter Sarawak without Covid-19 PCR tests

Ismail Sabri lodges police, MCMC reports over fake news

Barber with Covid-19 had been providing illegal house-to-house haircuts during MCO

Ismail Sabri: SOP for non-Muslim places of worship to be decided next week

Public transport can now operate at full capacity, says Ismail Sabri

It’s a date: Secondary schools reopen on June 24

Health DG: Malaysia to review possibility of cross-border travel

Health DG: Worrying spike in road accidents during conditional MCO

M'sians in centres can continue quarantine from home beginning Wednesday

Talks underway to allow Malaysians to travel to Singapore for work, says Senior Minister

Conditional MCO to be replaced with recovery MCO from June 10 - Aug 31, says PM

PM: Interstate travel ban to be lifted, domestic tourism to be allowed beginning June 10

Covid-19: Home quarantine only from June 10 for M'sians returning from abroad who test negative

PM announces list of premises, activities still not allowed under recovery MCO

Making staff take leave for quarantine? You don’t get to make the rules, bosses told

Temperature checks, eating in class during recess new norm when schools reopen, says Education Minister

Guidelines on reopening schools to be distributed Thursday (June 4), says Education Minister

Ismail Sabri: Govt yet to decide whether to lift or extend conditional MCO

Covid-19: Three Kuala Langat housing areas placed under enhanced MCO after cluster detected

Govt to finalise SOPs for religious events, night markets, hair salons by June 6

Ismail Sabri: Interstate travel for weddings, pre-wedding outdoor photo shoots allowed

Health DG: Spike in infections among foreign workers poses a new challenge

Ismail Sabri: No interstate travel allowed except for four reasons, police permission

Ismail Sabri: NSC yet to determine SOP for barbers and hair salons

Covid-19: Uncertain future for entertainment industry

Hairdressers’ plea: Allow us to reopen

Hamzah: Dr M, four others had their membership automatically nullified

Dr M: I'm still Bersatu chairman, remember that

Claim that conditional MCO to be extended to June 24 is fake, says Ismail Sabri

Health DG: Govt to consider reopening schools, social sectors if cases remain low

Eid during Covid-19 pandemic, the Malaysian story

Ismail Sabri: Govt could reintroduce MCO, if rakyat violates conditional MCO

Health DG: Only family members allowed to gather during festivals, social distancing must be maintained

Explainer: Why is the coronavirus so deadly?

Hong Kong police shoots protester in chest

SRC trial: Najib shocked, expected to be acquitted, says Shafee

Najib shocked? I'm shocked at his reaction, says Dr M

Deputy minister Eddin Syazlee collapses in Parliament

Court orders Najib to enter defence over RM42mil SRC case

Hong Kong police defends move to shoot, to probe man set on fire

Najib campaigns in Tg Piai, a day ahead of decision in SRC trial

Najib arrives in court for key ruling in 1MDB-linked case

Former deputy education ministers welcome court ruling on vernacular schools

SRC trial: Shafee maintains Najib a victim of conspiracy led by Jho Low

JB cycling tragedy: Prosecution files appeal against driver's acquittal

Paul Yong trial: Prosecution seeks protection for witnesses

Japan imperial couple rides through Tokyo in grand enthronement parade

Court rejects application questioning vernacular schools

Self-exiled opposition leader Rainsy urges countrymen to rally on