[Beijing Diary] "Patriotic Consumption, Please Stay Alert"

"Be alert."

Recently, this phrase, which spread like a trend after appearing on a Korean variety show, is also spreading in China. It is a sharp critique aimed at domestic brands that rely on patriotic consumption while neglecting quality improvement and price competitiveness.

The trigger was China's famous Wanghong (influencer) Li Ziqi. On the 9th, during a live broadcast, he sold an eyebrow pencil from the local Chinese cosmetics brand 'Huaxizi' for 79 yuan (about 14,700 KRW) and got into an argument with a consumer. The consumer pointed out that when converted to price per unit weight (0.07g), the price was higher than that of global luxury brands, but the quality did not measure up.

The price and quality of products from the Chinese cosmetic brand Huaxizi are causing controversy on local social networking services (SNS). (Photo source= Weibo capture)

Li Ziqi did not admit this. He mockingly said, "Sometimes you have to look for the cause of the problem in yourself," and "Reflect on whether your salary has increased over the years or not, and whether you have worked hard." This remark ignited the gloom among young consumers, who are already burdened by high youth unemployment and economic recession concerns. The number of his Weibo followers, which once reached 30.43 million, decreased by about 2 million as of the 27th. Eventually, he apologized tearfully, but public opinion has not turned around.

Just as in Korea, where a shopping host's slip of the tongue caused public sentiment to turn, this incident could have ended as an issue of one influencer's attitude. However, the awareness of the problem spread to 'Huaxizi' and 'domestic products.'

On the 14th, a hashtag claiming that 1.5kg of Huaxizi could buy an apartment recorded 230 million views, and it became known that Huaxizi's 919 yuan five-piece makeup brush set was made of synthetic fibers, sparking criticism. Once a pride of China, Huaxizi was suddenly pushed to the edge. Voices demanding vigilance against reckless patriotism and domestic companies that rely on patriotism while ignoring quality or price competitiveness grew louder.

Eventually, on the 19th, Huaxizi directly stepped forward and officially apologized on its social networking service (SNS) Weibo. However, at the end of the apology, it wrote, "When the white pine flowers bloom, domestic products will become stronger." It was a subtle appeal relying on patriotism. The criticism grew even stronger. On the 26th, in an attempt to change the mood, Huaxizi posted on Weibo, "I am Huaxizi, six and a half years old. I have a dream of becoming a high-end brand based domestically and expanding globally." This time, consumers united to mock Huaxizi. Local Chinese media recently conducted a survey asking if people intended to purchase the 919 yuan brush set, and among 18,000 respondents, 80% answered "No."

Around this time, Chinese media flooded with similar reports. The main point was what path domestic brands should take. Most Chinese people know that just as the once wildly popular Korean cosmetics brand Sulwhasoo has now faded, Huaxizi could also be ignored. If there is no concern for quality and no global competitiveness, the neglect will happen even faster.