Asian superstar Andy Lau’s Lunar New Year hit song “Gong Xi Fa Cai” has in recent years become a staple for households and shopping malls during the New Year. As soon as the melody starts, it signals the approach of the festival. However, Chinese netizens have lamented that the festive atmosphere is fading this year, crying out, “Andy Lau's thawing failed.”
In recent days, more and more netizens have noticed that Andy Lau’s “Gong Xi Fa Cai,” which used to be played on repeat in supermarkets and malls, is no longer being heard. Instead, other modern New Year's songs such as electronic and rock versions, or music generated with AI, have taken its place. This abrupt change has left many feeling unsettled, lamenting the loss of the lively traditional New Year vibe.
Additionally, other classic festive songs like China Dolls’ “Fortune and Blessings for Chinese New Year” have also all but disappeared alongside Andy Lau’s hit, becoming almost inaudible. Reportedly, the reason businesses no longer play “Gong Xi Fa Cai” isn’t just due to copyright law regulations and the reluctance to bear increased licensing costs, but also because of the rise of e-commerce channels.
Nowadays, most people choose delivery platforms as their main shopping channel, leading to a drop in crowds visiting the streets to buy New Year goods. With fewer shoppers, many malls now choose to close earlier. Additionally, some have noticed that this year the lively sounds of firecrackers and bustling crowds on the streets have also diminished. Coupled with fragmented holidays, it feels as though the New Year spirit is gradually being lost. Many people took to Weibo to joke and sigh that not even Andy Lau can save it, causing the keyword “Andy Lau thawing failed” to trend.
The term “Andy Lau thawing” actually comes from the Christmas hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey. As Christmas approaches, people jokingly say “Mariah Carey is about to thaw.” Netizens have extended this “thawing meme” to Andy Lau’s “Gong Xi Fa Cai”—when they hear this song, it means Andy Lau has “thawed” and the New Year is coming.
Source: China Times