Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

Emotional Polarization and Consumption Value Differences in Pop Toy Consumption: Based on Weibo Comments on Pop Mart

Yuchen Fang*
Monash University Malaysia

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Taking POP MART as a case study, this research uses a computational communication approach that combines sentiment analysis (DistilBERT) and topic modeling (BERTopic) based on 302 user comments from Weibo, aiming to explore the emotional representations and differential mechanisms of the younger generation's consumption views under the influence of designer toy culture. The findings shows that: (1) Weibo comments display a clear pattern of "sentiment polarization": positive comments account for 60.3%, negative comments account for 34.1%, and neutral comments make up less than 6%; (2) Negative comments can be clustered into five topics: "blind boxes and co-branded consumption," "failure of the game business," "decline in consumption experience and interest," "second-hand trading and IP reselling," and "price drop below issuance for new LABUBU products"; (3) The split in sentiment orientation essentially reflects a shift in consumption values: "emotion-driven" consumers use "like it or not" as their value criterion, whereas "rational evaluation" consumers base their judgment on "whether it is worth it"; (4) The core mechanism driving this shift in designer toy consumption values is the "externalization of reference frames" in value judgment: consumers' purchasing decisions increasingly rely on secondary market price signals, brand cross-over capability, and long-term IP prospects, rather than solely on personal preferences and budget. This study provides empirical evidence based on social media data to understand Gen Z's shift from "utility to symbol" in their consumption views and confirms the applicability of the computational method combining "sentiment analysis and topic modeling" in consumer culture research.

Keywords: Collectible toy culture; consumer attitudes; sentiment analysis; topic modeling; Pop Mart
Published: September 22, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.37199
Volume: CHR Vol.121
pp. 101-113
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