Sababoy Mascot Goes Viral Again Overseas: Realistic Fish Back Photo Garners Millions of Views
Posted Date:2024-06-17
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Introduce
Since its debut at the 2018 Qigu Seafood Festival press conference, Tainan's tourism ambassador Sababoy (魚頭君) has continuously brought youthful energy to the promotion of Tainan tourism. Mayor Huang Wei-che shared that Sababoy was inspired by Tainan’s signature coastal delicacy, the milkfish head, making it a highly iconic figure of the city. In recent years, Sababoy has been actively participating in various city government promotional events, and has developed a strong fan base through its long-term collaboration with the local baseball team, the Uni-President Lions. Beyond local fame, Sababoy’s quirky and lively appearance has also garnered international recognition. During the pandemic, Sababoy even made waves in Major League Baseball in the U.S. and gained a growing fan base in Japan. Recently, a Japanese social media user posted a photo of Sababoy's “impressive fish back” from a large statue, attracting over 5 million views, further proving the mascot’s incredible appeal.
Lin Guo-hua, Director of the Tourism Bureau of the Tainan City Government, explained that Sababoy was co-created by local illustrator Marco Chen and the Tourism Bureau, with the goal of being both highly localized and attention-grabbing. Milkfish, a key aquaculture product of Tainan, along with the popular dish of milkfish head, became the inspiration behind the mascot. Sababoy made its official debut at the 2018 summer Qigu Seafood Festival. Over the years, Sababoy has been tirelessly promoting Tainan tourism, attending both domestic and international events and endorsements. A variety of merchandise featuring the mascot has been released, including playing cards, L-folders, limited-edition plush dolls, fisherman hats, and iCash 2.0 cards. The limited-edition plush dolls can still be purchased at Hutoupi Scenic Area, where families can also enjoy the All-Age Playground and take home a Sababoy doll as a souvenir. In addition, Sababoy is featured prominently in the Travel Tainan App, Travel Tainan Facebook Page, Sababoy Instagram, and the Sababoy Leads the Way newsletter. We welcome everyone to follow Sababoy ’s adventures and explore the beauty of Tainan.
