“I got to know him from the gifs other people sent me on WeChat,” 39-year-old employee Cai Qianyi told CNN. “I saved the gifs to use as they are so appropriate to express myself.”
Chinese netizens are referring to Gavin’s uneasy but polite smile, a signature meme used to express forced optimism in uncomfortable situations.
“If someone says something embarrassing, but you don’t want to shoot it down directly, the fake smile gif can convey your embarrassment while leaving a way out,” said 21-year-old student Leo Li. He described Gavin’s forced but polite smile as a “social lubricant.”
In July, Gavin opened an account on Weibo, where he has since amassed 1.8 million followers. In his first video, he told fans that he wanted to visit China one day.
“Hey guys, it’s Gavin here. Welcome to my page. One day I really want to go to China and meet you and take pictures with you,”China Daily quoted him as saying.
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