Year of the Pig | Molang, the Happy Rabbit

02.08.2019 – Chinese New Year was celebrated three days ago and it is the “Year of the Pig” for in 2019. In case you’re in Manila the celebration was felt throughout Binondo during that day as Chinese lanterns and other ornaments adored the aesthetics of the area. This also shows how the Filipino-Chinese community embraced this culture and the rest of the world. There has been much Chinese New Year merchandise that is thematic with the “Year of the Pig” for 2019. But the Lotteria Burger Laboratory in South Korea takes their freebie toy to a whole new level of collectability with Molang, the Happy Rabbit.

For those unaware or have heard of Lotteria Burger Laboratory outside the realm of Jollibee, McDonald’s, Burger King, and KFC to name a few fast-food restaurants this is one of the well-known brand named Lotteria that originated in Tokyo Japan back in the 1970s that immediately found its niche market in East Asia that includes South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

Just like the American fast-food chain in McDonald’s Lotteria offered ‘Happy Meal’ type products to children and in those collectible toys. But South Korea take their ‘toy meals’ to a different level that not only made for kids, but also build interest in collecting them by young adults.

During my to travel Ulsan in South Korea I never got to see much of the place, but on the way back since I was too early in the airport I was able to look around and had an early dinner before my flight. I end up having my meal at the Lotteria Burger Laboratory, which to my surprise had an initial offering of their ‘kids toy’ but does not have any meal accompanied it.

The featured collectible around that time is the Molang, the Happy Rabbit which has resemblance to Hello Kitty’s aesthetics. I purchased the collectible separately aside from the meal that I have purchased.







The Happy Rabbit

There were three Molang, the Happy Rabbit collectible dressed in Chinese New Year theme namely ‘Year of the Pig’ theme. There are three variations of Molang which two of them in seated position holding either a bag of money or flowers while this one was lying on its stomach with a New Year greeting.

This was designed by Hyeji Yoon & Seungho Jeong exclusively for Lotteria Burger Laboratory for the Chinese New Year promotional figurine. Molang is not a Pig but a Rabbit appearing in Children’s animated TV series created by the animation studio Millimages, HIT Entertainment and Disney Junior.

The titular character, Molang, was designed by the Korean illustrator Hye-Ji Yoon, on the platform KakaoTalk.







Promotional Figurine

Molang’s aesthetics cosplaying as a pig certainly is adorable and the plastic material used for this figurine is really solid. Not the type McDonald’s or Jollibee will use for their monthly toy meal offer. It’s more like a designer vinyl art toy than a kiddie meal.

Unfortunately, I was limited in getting all three and quite short on funds getting a complete set since the Molang seated holding a bag of money was the favorite and was already sold out. This was popular too due to being just cute and ‘piggy’ looking.



Overall the toys offered by Lotteria Burger Laboratory aren’t just for kids and it’s considered a Designer Art Toy for its aesthetics and design. Molang this year is going to be popular in Korea and in the US as well as in British and French countries.

You can find some of the clips featuring Molang and his friend Piu Piu, the Yellow Chicken on YouTube. For now this is one Chinese New Year collectible featured as the “Year of the Pig” theme!