Kardashian klan “momager” Kris Jenner has become an unlikely star in China, sweeping social media platforms

Jenner memes are taking over some of China’s biggest platforms, including Weibo and RedNote, as internet users switch their profile pictures to images of the American reality TV star.

The hashtag #krisjenner had racked up about 52.9 million views and more than 99,000 posts on RedNote (Xiaohongshu) this week as fans turned 70-year-old Jenner into a symbol of good fortune.

Some have even dubbed her the “Empress Dowager”, as they “pray” to her for money, luck and success.

“I’ve changed my desktop wallpaper to Kris Jenner. You may hate or criticise her, but tell me, don’t you still want to be like her?” one social media user quoted by 8days said.

Another wrote: “I changed my profile picture to Kris Jenner today, and my mum already transferred US$50,000 ($A73,000) into my bank account.”

A screenshot of multiple Kris Jenner’s from Chinese TikTok alternative Douyin.

Jenner is the powerhouse behind the Kardashian TV empire, after catapulting her blended family to global fame with the 2007 reality hit Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

It ran for 20 seasons before concluding in 2021. These days, Jenner also manages the careers of her children – Rob, Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, and Kendall and Kylie Jenner.

TikToker Marcelo Wang tried to explain the phenomenon to Western internet users in a viral clip that has had two million views of its own and been shared widely.

He said the somewhat tongue-in-cheek trend was all about manifestation – and had emerged “because Kris Jenner is one of the hardest working businesswomen in the US, and Chinese people really respect hard work”.

“Cosplaying Kris Jenner is like a Gen Z funny way to manifest success,” Wang said.

“Chinese Gen Z are not just using Kris Jenner as a profile picture, but she is on all of our iPhone, iPad wallpapers, laptops … literally everywhere.”

Some users have also edited images of Jenner in a range of roles, from “lawyer Kris” to “teacher Kris”.

The trend has even reached the “Empress Dowager” herself.

“You’re ALL doing amazing, sweetie!!!!” Jenner responded on Wang’s TikTok with her famous catchphrase from one episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

She is often jokingly referred to as her children’s “momager”, having driven the family’s success as global stars. In 2022, Jenner told Forbes she took 10 per cent commission from the gross revenue of her children’s businesses.

“I said to my kids, ‘Look, I’m going to put my heart and soul into this—I’m going to work hard. And I’ll take 10 per cent, because that’ll make it worth my while,’” she said.

Jenner is widely thought to have a net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The recent viral memes trend mirrors another that spread through Chinese social media during February’s Lunar New Year celebrations, when images of Harry Potter villain Draco Malfoy went viral as a symbol of good luck for the upcoming year.

That was reportedly at least partly due to Mandarin renditions of the name Malfoy including phonetic elements that resonate with words associated with horses (for the new Year of the Fire Horse).

Malfoy’s titanium blond hair and sharp features also make him iconic, even in small or edited images – a crucial element to help memes spread.