If you see a giant frog walking past you on the street, standing next to you at the bus stop, or waving at your child in the park, don’t be too surprised – it’s just your friendly neighbourhood Richmondite who wants to put a smile on your face.
Someone in a frog costume – with big eyes, a cute face and big belly – has been spotted walking around Richmond streets and parks recently, simply waving at passersby.
The Richmond News tracked down the “frog” on Chinese-language social media platform Little Red Book.
And, as we found out, it’s not someone who is trying to sell anything or promoting any products. It’s a teenager who just wants to cheer everyone up and make their day more memorable.
“The frog costume is popular on Chinese social media platforms and I never saw one here, so I thought it would be a fun idea to become the Richmond frog,” said Tara Zhang, a Grade 11 student at Palmer secondary.
Other similar frog mascots have been spotted at the Richmond Night Market and in Vancouver.
Zhang ordered the costume online, complete with a mini-fan inside to keep it puffed up.
The design of the costume is based on Pepe the Frog, a cartoon character that has become a popular Internet meme, explained Zhang.
A video of a person in a frog costume selling balloons of the same character went viral online in China, and more people started to copy that.
“I don’t sell anything – just for fun,” said Zhang.
“I’m a very extroverted person. I like strange ideas and making people happy. Making others happy is the coolest thing in the world.”
Zhang usually goes to parks or shopping malls in Richmond so she “doesn’t disturb others,” and every time she is there, she is surrounded by adults and children who ask to hug her, greet her or dance with her.
In terms of when and how often she goes, Zhang said “it depends on the mood.” Sometimes she gives a heads up on her Little Red Book account so her “fans” can go there to meet her.
“When I saw the children and their parents laughing, having a great time, I felt so happy as well – it was pure joy,” she said.
“For many people, it might have been a normal day just like any other days, but because of the pop-up frog, they might remember that moment or the couple of hours, making their day more memorable.
“And that makes me happy.”
