In the bustling scene of the first China New Cultural and Creative Market, a small, wild-haired character named WAKUKU, adorned with a traditional Beijing-style embroidered jacket and cloisonné body, captivated young attendees who couldn't stop taking photos with their phones. This special edition, born from the first-ever collaboration between four intangible cultural heritage (ICH) inheritors for a trendy toy IP, reflects a broader cultural narrative as Chinese trendy toys step onto the global stage.

Here Group Limited, a company that pivoted from online education, has propelled this "little wild child" to achieve quarterly revenues exceeding 100 million yuan in just over a year. This growth story unfolds against a backdrop of supportive policies: Chaoyang District's trendy toy industry output value of 28.9 billion yuan, a three-year action plan for brand globalization, and Beijing's systemic business environment reforms. Together, they are writing a story of government-provided platforms enabling enterprises to perform, allowing traditional culture to reach the world through the appealing form of trendy toys.

**The Beijing-Embroidered Outfit: Where Trendy Toys Meet Intangible Heritage** At Beijing's Chaoyang Park, the inaugural China New Cultural and Creative Market and Trendy Toy Fair was in full swing. At this nationally guided cultural feast, a booth by Here Group Limited made visitors pause. Their display featured WAKUKU, a character with fluffy ears, dressed in specially crafted Chinese attire.

ICH inheritor Bi Hong used gold-thread and flat embroidery on the doll's clothing to depict peach blossoms and auspicious floral patterns, conveying traditional Eastern symbolism. Hu Ling, a master of traditional Chinese knot button-making, drew inspiration from Beijing's swallow kites, designing detachable hat ornaments and vests with pipa-shaped and gourd-shaped buttons. Zhu Jingyou, an inheritor of cloisonné (Jingtailan) craftsmanship, re-cast the doll's body using copper wire inlay and enamel, featuring lotus vine patterns on a sky-blue glaze. Yu Jingyuan, a Beijing silk figurine inheritor, integrated elements from the "Legend of the White Snake" opera, using real silk stand-up collars and traditional helmet-making techniques to create a piece blending operatic charm with trendy toy aesthetics.

This unprecedented collaboration of four ICH masters for a single trendy toy IP created one of the market's most culturally profound and brand-distinctive exhibits. A single market event and a doll's outfit point to a larger theme: as Chinese trendy toys go global, they carry not just commercial products but also a subtle, pervasive cultural narrative.

**Catching the Cultural Industry Wave: A Small Enterprise's Cross-Sector Transformation** Speaking about Here Group's origins, Shi Guangqiang, the Group's Executive President and Co-founder, stated, "From the beginning, we wanted our IPs to have distinct personalities and values, to build a pure land that carries curiosity and dreams." This vision is backed by solid market data. In 2024, the "merchandise economy" market in China reached 168.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 40.63%. In Beijing alone, Chaoyang District's trendy toy industry output is projected to hit 28.9 billion yuan by 2025, representing 179% growth.

Here Group seized this opportunity. At its flagship store in Beijing's Chaoyang Hopeson Plaza, visitors are first greeted by WAKUKU, the mischievous yet adorable character with fluffy ears. Launched in May 2024, this original IP achieved remarkable results within a year and a half: in Q2 of the 2026 fiscal year, WAKUKU generated 129 million yuan in revenue, contributing over 70% of the company's total. By December 2025, cumulative sales of WAKUKU series products had surpassed 6 million units.

The transition from education to trendy toys was not without challenges, involving a comprehensive restructuring of business models, supply chains, and brand perception. Yet, it was on this uncertain ground that Here Group carved a unique path of innovation, with support from various levels of Beijing's government departments consistently present.

**"Co-creation with Users": The Breakthrough Code for a Little Wild Child** What propelled WAKUKU's rapid breakout? The answer lies not only in product design but also in Here Group's precise understanding of young consumer psychology. Shi Guangqiang has a clear industry perspective on original IPs: "Original IP is indeed the highest barrier in the industry, but a common difficulty lies in the gap between 'creativity' and 'execution.' Many excellent designers have strong creativity and artistic sense, but translating that creativity into mass-producible products accepted by the market is often the weak link."

Based on this understanding, Here Group deeply integrated user co-creation from the IP's incubation phase, making consumers participants rather than mere observers in the IP's growth. Driven by this concept, the WAKUKU mini "Instant Level Up" blind box series garnered over 100 million online exposures upon launch and topped Douyin's product ranking, sparking organic, word-of-mouth spread. Users spontaneously shared and created derivative content on social media, becoming the brand's most powerful ambassadors.

For Shi Guangqiang, the core of the trendy toy industry is "resonance," not a "solo performance." "Trendy toy IPs need to resonate with more cultural scenes and lifestyles, such as through integration with fashion, sports, cultural tourism, and digital art." Here, Here Group has received significant support from various government departments in Beijing. Shi Guangqiang noted, "Beijing, especially Chaoyang District, has provided many excellent opportunities for enterprises, including major municipal events like the CIFTIS, Beijing Fashion Week, the China Open, and the Beijing Cultural Forum. Leveraging these opportunities, our crossovers with sports events, film and television, fashion, and this ICH collaboration have all yielded excellent results." He added, "Only through ecosystem building can a stronger 'amplifier' effect be formed, pushing IPs to break through circles and reach the global market." He observed that local governments are shifting their role from "management" to "facilitation," actively coordinating resource connections for enterprises.

**Going Global: Making "Chinese Trends" a Vehicle for Global Cultural Dialogue** If outstanding original IP is Here Group's foundation, its globalization strategy opens another realm of possibilities. The company has initiated its overseas expansion plan, first entering markets in Southeast Asia and North America. Through pop-up events and localized collaborations, it has gained recognition from international users, with product-related buzz on North American social platforms exceeding 75 million. In early June 2025, the brand successfully held its first overseas pop-up event in Bangkok, Thailand, validating the IP's overseas appeal and international market acceptance.

The company believes that "as a lightweight emotional carrier, trendy toys can transcend cultural differences to spark resonance, helping the shift from 'product export' to 'cultural resonance.'" In practice, traditional Chinese culture is becoming Here Group's "passport" for global expansion. Wei Tiancheng, Head of Overseas Operations, stated, "The traditional Chinese style products of the 'Youli' IP sell well in Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, and even have decent sales in Russia and Ukraine." The "Elephant Ton" series launched in Bangkok featured blue starlight and purple graffiti color schemes, achieving a balance between localized adaptation and global emotional connection. This confirms Shi Guangqiang's view—traditional culture is not a burden for going global but a source of distinctive competitiveness.

Here Group's global exploration aligns closely with Beijing's industrial planning. In fact, each step from "crossover" to "globalization" has been supported by government platforms. Great ideas and mature works also need opportunities to be seen. At the 2025 CIFTIS, Here Group was featured in Chaoyang District's cultural tourism exhibition area. Its immersive experience zone highlighted the innovative integration of core IPs like WAKUKU and SIINONO with cultural, sports, tourism, and technological elements. The WAKUKU co-branded edition with the China Open debuted there, becoming an instant focal point.

Furthermore, in 2025, Here Group served as the official designated trendy toy partner for Beijing Fashion Week, showcasing its trendy IPs at the opening ceremony. In March 2026, the WAKUKU 4.0 "Handmade World" series returned to Beijing Fashion Week, marking a second year of strategic evolution from "crossover" to "integration." These display platforms, established by Beijing's municipal and district governments, have provided Here Group with a window to the world and injected strong momentum into the international promotion of China's original IPs.

The confidence to go global is also underpinned by systematic support from government departments. Chaoyang District's three-year action plan explicitly aims to build a "base for brand globalization communication." Supporting policies focus on key areas like original development, brand globalization, and copyright protection, forming a comprehensive policy support system covering creation, transformation, consumption, global expansion, and services. In March 2026, Beijing rolled out the 9th iteration of its business environment reform measures, placing greater emphasis on empowering enterprise development and benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Regarding corporate financing, Beijing has deepened the implementation of the "Smooth Financing Project," encouraging banks to increase credit lending to technology-based, asset-light companies and expand intellectual property pledge financing. For talent support, the city provides 1 million square meters of entrepreneurial space and 10,000 apartments for young talents. To help explore markets, Beijing has optimized its "Belt and Road" direct service platform, encouraging SMEs to form alliances for global expansion. These targeted empowerment measures provide a solid foundation for cultural and creative enterprises like Here Group to "travel light" on their journey to the world.

**Concluding Observations** When young people at the New Cultural and Creative Market praised Here Group's ICH limited editions, saying, "Paired with traditional craftsmanship, trendy toys gain a collectible quality," a larger virtuous cycle was already in motion. The government provides the stage, enterprises perform, and traditional culture reaches the world through the form of trendy toys. The world, in turn, touches a more vibrant and confident China through these "little wild children" carrying Eastern aesthetics. Through the joint efforts of all parties, the trendy toy industry will contribute to Beijing's goal of building a "global hub for fashion and innovation," showcasing the innovative face of contemporary China. From policy support and platform building to original incubation and brand globalization, Beijing's business environment is forming a complete empowerment system for cultural enterprises.