“You met me at a very Chinese time in my life.”
You’ve probably seen this caption or something similar when scrolling through social media with Reels or TikToks, emphasizing the sudden want to “become Asian.” Simply liking Chinese culture, food or trends, “makes you Chinese”, according to the internet. No matter what social media you use, it’s impossible to ignore the Asian-related culture boom in content on social media in recent years.
Appreciation becomes appropriation when it is reduced to an aesthetic. Being asian is not a trend; behind these fads, there are real people who have a culture and history. Making Asian culture a trend belittles a whole race.
Part of this trend is referred to as “Asianmaxxing.” Popularized by Gen Z, the term stands for the act of “becoming Asian”, adopting Asian culture or “being an Asian baddie.”
The rise of COVID-19 is closely related to the rise of Asian hate. These hate crimes are linked to COVID-19, as Asians were often targeted and blamed for the cause of the pandemic. In a study done by the University of Pennsylvania, it was said that 61% of Asian students have experienced Asian-related hate.
However, by the end of 2025, just a few years later, the increase of Chinese culture and “Chinesemaxxing” trends in social media stood ever-growing. And before all this, there was the trend of Korean culture, as well as Japanese culture, being appropriated, through things like blind boxes, Korean or K-pop makeup, stationery and “kawaii” trinkets. Smiskis, Sonny Angels, Labubus, and glitter dumplings, to name a few, have existed for years, but they did not become widely popular until recently, once social media decided they were “in”. During the pandemic, blind boxes were already growing in popularity across Asia.
Recently, such blind boxes have surged throughout the United States. Even before this rise, trends in Korean fashion and food, and also the “Japan effect” — where anything Japanese was automatically regarded as more aesthetic — had already gained traction, bringing “kawaii” products more mainstream. Influencers buy bulk packs of such items to “unbox” and post online. As a result of this, the desire to find a specific item often encourages people to buy far more than they need, leading to overconsumption and extreme excess waste.
Nonetheless, it is important to note that only certain “major” countries in Asia have picked up popularity online. Places such as India, Taiwan, Thailand or Cambodia have not gained nearly the same amount of attention. Looking at Instagram and TikTok, certain countries seem to “not exist” to the public eye. In fact, the opposite effect has happened to these South Asian countries.
According to the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), social media is and has been a hub for South Asian hate. A significant boost in online animosity has been shown in the past few years, including an increase in slurs and hate comments on social media websites such as 4chan, Telegram and Gab.
Although social media has spread more knowledge and culture about Asian cultures, there is a fine line that should not be crossed. While it’s beneficial for people to learn more about each other’s cultures and challenge preconceived stereotypes, it is also easy to just follow a trend or an aesthetic even when it’s not one’s place to adopt. These are not merely trends; they are how real people live and should not be commodified.
Next time you send another reel to a friend about being “Asian”, ask yourself: “Am I just following a trend and appropriating someone else’s culture?” Our culture is not your trend.
