Barbarians at the Gate

Curating Chinese Internet Culture for Global Audiences with What's on Weibo founder Manya Koetse

10 snips
Apr 1, 2025
Manya Koetse, founder of What's on Weibo, offers a deep dive into the fascinating world of Chinese social media. She explores Weibo's role as a crucial platform reflecting China’s shifting nationalism and social dynamics. Manya discusses the nuances between Weibo and WeChat, highlighting how their user demographics and functionalities cater to different audiences. She reveals the challenges of curating content that resonates globally while navigating the complexities of online sentiment and cultural trends, providing listeners with valuable insights into an often-misunderstood digital landscape.
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ANECDOTE

Manya's China Story

  • Manya Koetse's interest in China began during a high school year in Japan.
  • Realizing much of Japanese culture was rooted in China, she later studied at Peking University.
ANECDOTE

What's on Weibo Origin

  • What's on Weibo started because Koetse felt she missed out on Chinese social media discussions.
  • The "My dad is Ligang" incident in 2010 exemplified this, highlighting how online humor stems from social injustice.
INSIGHT

Collective Memory Online

  • Online discussions create a collective memory, as seen with the resurfacing of the phrase "The world is so big, I want to go out and see it."
  • This phrase, from a teacher's resignation note, reflects evolving travel aspirations and state media narratives.
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