**Viral News Snippet: "Starbucks & Miffy’s Secret 'Sad Bunny' Cup Leak Sparks Global Hunt—But Is It Real?"**

Viral News Snippet: “Starbucks & Miffy’s Secret ‘Sad Bunny’ Cup Leak Sparks Global Hunt—But Is It Real?”

The Claim: Social media is flooded with videos of a new, limited-edition Starbucks x Miffy collaboration cup dubbed the “Sad Bunny Tumbler.” Users claim the cup features the classic Dutch rabbit with a single, tiny tear, and that it’s only available in select Asian markets—specifically hidden inside special “lucky bags” at stores in South Korea. The story goes that Starbucks deliberately launched the cup without announcement to create a “silent drop.”

The Reality: FAKE (with nuance).

Fact-Check:

• No Official Release: As of this week, neither Starbucks International nor Mercis (Miffy’s licensing agency) has announced any collaboration. The supposed “Sad Bunny” artwork does not appear in any official Miffy catalog or Starbucks design archive.
• The Origin: The viral image is a high-quality AI-generated mockup. Reverse-image searches trace the earliest post back to a fan-art account on X (formerly Twitter) known for creating “emotional animal” merchandise concepts.
• Why It Spread: Fans are desperate for a “nostalgic sad-bunny aesthetic” following the popularity of Miffy’s “neutral face” memes. Some TikTok users are now creating fake unboxing videos using 3D-printed cups they made at home, further fueling the rumor.
• Watch Out For: Scam listings on eBay and Etsy claiming to sell “authentic pre-order” cups for $80–$150. These are pirated designs. Starbucks store managers in Seoul have posted notices denying the drop.

Verdict: ✅ FALSE (but a convincing concept). No official cup exists—yet. Given the viral demand, don’t be surprised if a real collaboration