The 2025 Asian Winter Games (AWG) in Harbin drew to a close on 14 February. Not only did the host country China top the medal table with 32 golds, but the host city Harbin also became a top travel destination after the trending ’Arbin boom last year. But one regional snack went viral twice, once during the opening ceremony, and the second time at the closing ceremony: the mixed-grain pancake (杂粮煎饼), a savoury dish from Northeast China.
- #亚冬会开幕式发了杂粮煎饼 The opening ceremony of AWG gave away mixed-grain pancake: 7.90 million views on Weibo, no. 19 on Hot Search list
- #亚冬会闭幕式杂粮煎饼杀回C位 Mixed-grain pancakes return to centre stage at the closing ceremony of AWG: 1.66 million views on Weibo, no. 9 on Hot Search list
This topic is a combination of a sporting event and city marketing on Harbin’s part. Regional delicacies such as the malatang of Tianshui and BBQ of Zibo were almost synonymous with the cities they are from after going viral. Also, the reprisal of a trending dish to strengthen awareness is inspired.
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