Overview
- Creators popularized the meme-driven wave with videos labeled “turning” or “becoming Chinese,” featuring house slippers, hot water, herbal teas, bone broth, chopsticks, and home cooking.
- Sherry Zhu’s viral clip helped propel the phrase into wider use, building on the earlier joke “You met me at a very Chinese time in my life,” which Know Your Meme describes as purposefully meaningless.
- Chinese American voices quoted in coverage welcome curiosity but question bandwagon behavior and whether fleeting trends translate into genuine respect.
- Recent polling reported by NBC News and The Times cites younger cohorts showing warmer views of China, offering context for the trend’s rapid traction.
- Coverage links the surge to cross-platform exchange, including U.S. users’ migration to Chinese app RedNote during TikTok ban fears, and notes warnings that cultural admiration can sidestep political and human-rights concerns.