Is the latest card craze an unhealthy addiction for children or a lifeline for small-town shop owners?
Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, is witnessing a new craze.
A livestream channel, a pair of scissors, and an acrylic rack with packs of cards lining the shelves. The host doesn’t even need to show their face to draw an audience of thousands.
On the surface, what’s being sold are the cards, which are printed with characters from various well-known games and shows and not revealed until the host opens the pack. But as the viewer numbers skyrocket, it’s clear that luck is the real commodity here. Some people get the card they want on the first try; others have bought three packs and still no luck. On the screen, a message warns, “Minors Prohibited from Buying”—confirming, therefore, that many of the viewers are underage.
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