Market miracle and national image: government promotion and nationalist transformation in Black Myth: Wukong and Nezha 2

This research investigates the intricate relationship between government promotion and the market success of two Chinese entertainment products – the video game 'Black Myth: Wukong' and the animated film 'Nezha 2' – and examines how their commercial achievements have been leveraged to repair China's national image, which was damaged in the eyes of its own populace during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through analysis of official media coverage, policy support mechanisms, and online discourse, this study reveals both explicit and implicit government promotional strategies that contributed to these products' market success. The research demonstrates how commercial achievements were systematically transformed into expressions of national pride, effectively compensating for image damage caused by controversial pandemic measures including excessive quarantines, internet censorship, and the 'White Paper' protests. Furthermore, the study traces the evolution from healthy national pride to populist nationalism, manifested in collective attacks against those questioning these cultural products. By examining government intent in fostering this transformation, the research considers whether authorities deliberately cultivated a unified evaluative standard that politicizes cultural consumption. This investigation contributes to understanding how entertainment products serve as vehicles for internal national image reconstruction following a crisis of governmental trust and explores the political implications of cultural nationalism in contemporary China.