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NFTs
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A Bored Ape with Chinese characteristics? Bored Wukong accused of copycat NFT avatars

  • Critics say Bored Wukong, a collection of NFT avatars based on the legendary Monkey King, bears a strong resemblance to Bored Apes
  • Bored Wukong’s creator denies the accusation by invoking examples of celebrities who look alike

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Bored Wukong, an NFT project launched in China, is accused of plagiarising the well-known Bored Ape Yacht Club. Photo: NFTCN/Bored Wukong
Xinmei Shen

A Chinese collection of non-fungible token cartoon monkeys is accused of plagiarising Bored Ape Yacht Club, one of the world’s most popular NFT projects, but the creator insists that his works are original.

The project, named Bored Wukong, features hundreds of 2D and 3D avatars of Sun Wukong, or Monkey King – a legendary character featured in the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West. Similar to most NFT avatar projects around the world, the monkeys from Bored Wukong come in different styles, including one dressed as painter Vincent van Gogh and another dressed as an Egyptian pharaoh.

Bored Apes Yacht Club, a US-based project, features a collection of cartoon primates. Source: Handout.
Bored Apes Yacht Club, a US-based project, features a collection of cartoon primates. Source: Handout.

NFTs – digital assets whose ownership and uniqueness are verified by blockchains – exploded in popularity last year, with digital artworks fetching tens of millions of dollars in auctions and online marketplaces.

While Chinese state media have repeatedly warned against the financial risks around NFT trading, vibrant communities of NFT enthusiasts have nonetheless popped up around the country.

The first Bored Wukong avatar, which was sold last November for 99 yuan (US$15) and resold in December for 1,888 yuan, is currently listed for sale at 8,888,888 yuan, according to the item’s transaction history on Chinese NFT marketplace NFTCN.

Bored Wukong received increased attention last week after an article circulating on popular messaging app WeChat compared the project to Bored Ape Yacht Club, an expensive series of cartoon primates whose owners include American talk show host Jimmy Fallon and basketball star Stephen Curry.
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