Bing Dwen Dwen is here, and he's surprisingly not frozen to death.
On Tuesday, Beijing unveiled its mascot for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Bing Dwen Dwen is a uncharacteristically round panda who, despite being encased in a transparent ice suit, can somehow move well enough to be expert at every winter Olympic sport out there.
Bing Dwen Dwen comes with a superhero-esque backstory, told through a wordless animated video. After plunging through a mysterious glowing orb that came from space, Bing Dwen Dwen emerges in his ice suit with the ability to fly, soars through some winter Olympic events, and shoots off into the galaxy to deliver what's presumably world peace to an astronaut.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bing Dwen Dwen's introduction comes as the objectively boring mascots Miraitowa and Someity gear up for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Bing Dwen Dwen is undoubtedly an improvement, but no matter how bright his eyes sparkle, he only wishes he could be as adorable as PyeongChang 2018's mascot Soohorang.
-
Can US tourism survive Trump's policies?Today's Big Question The tourist economy is 'heading in the wrong direction'
-
September's books tell of friendship in middle age, teachers versus fascists, and Covid psychosisthe week recommends September books include Angela Flournoy's 'The Wilderness,' Randi Weingarten's 'Why Fascists Fear Teachers' and Patricia Lockwood's 'Will There Ever Be Another You'
-
'Total rat eradication in New York has been deemed impossible'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
