How ‘painful bag’ becomes popular subculture, fashion trend, especially among China youth

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Fran LuMarch 21, 2026 at 02:00 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Chinese youth are embracing the "ita bag," a Japanese fashion trend, to express their love for anime characters and idols. The "ita bag," or "painful bag" as it's known in Chinese, involves decorating bags with numerous plushies, badges, and cards related to a fan's interests. Originating in Japan around the 2010s, the style is gaining popularity in China, particularly among young people who use it as a creative outlet to showcase their passions. The hashtag #tongbao, the Chinese translation for "painful bag," has amassed billions of views on the Chinese platform RedNote. The term "ita" suggests the owner might feel awkward displaying their passion, but Chinese youth are enthusiastically adopting the trend.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

RedNote 60% Japan ×280% China ×290%

Keywords

ita bag 100% fashion trend 80% chinese youth 70% subculture 60% anime 60% idols 50% tongbao 50% goods 40% japan 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.40

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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ita bag fashion trend chinese youth subculture anime idols tongbao goods japan

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