Why is Draco Malfoy the Good-Luck Charm for the Lunar New Year?
As China gears up for the Lunar New Year, an unexpected face has found its way onto doors, fridges and red festive posters: Draco Malfoy.
The Harry Potter villain, played by British actor Tom Felton, has become a surprise symbol of good fortune thanks to a linguistic quirk. In Mandarin, Malfoy’s name is transliterated as “Mǎ'ěr fú” (马尔福), which combines the characters “Mǎ” (马) for horse and “Fú” (福) for good fortune or blessing — a perfect match for the upcoming Year of the Horse.
That wordplay has sparked a wave of creativity online and offline. Across Chinese social media, people have been sharing photos of red New Year decorations featuring Malfoy’s familiar smirk, often styled like traditional couplets or fuzi — square red papers associated with prosperity. Some have even been hung upside down, which is a common tradition that is meant to symbolise luck arriving at the home.
Online marketplaces have quickly jumped on the trend. Stickers, magnets and posters featuring the Hogwarts antagonist are being sold on platforms like Taobao and Pinduoduo, with buyers treating Malfoy as a charm for the year ahead.
The trend also hasn’t gone unnoticed by Felton himself. The actor shared an image on Instagram showing a large Malfoy banner hanging inside a Chinese shopping mall. His response has only added fuel to the excitement, with fans celebrating online under the hashtag “Malfoy himself is 100% hilarious”.
The phenomenon reflects the enduring popularity of the Harry Potter franchise in China. Since the Chinese translations were first released in 2000, the books have sold in the hundreds of millions. The franchise has also proved its box office power, with a re-release of the first film in 2020 pulling in tens of millions of dollars in just days.
That fandom isn’t slowing down. Warner Bros Discovery has already announced plans to open the world’s largest Making Of Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai in 2027, underlining the series’ lasting appeal. The site is expected to cover 53,000 square metres.
For now, though, Malfoy’s role has shifted from school bully to bearer of blessings — at least for the Year of the Horse.
Image source:https://www.deviantart.com/barbaratp/art/DRACO-MALFOY-RENDER-714990351
Image created by: Bárbara Vitória
Distributed under: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
