Is Mei Chinese or Korean in Overwatch?

Hey friend! I‘m Terry and I‘m a huge Overwatch nerd. Lately I‘ve noticed some confusion around whether the hero Mei is Chinese or Korean. As an Overwatch expert and data analyst, I decided to dig into the facts to get a definitive answer. Grab some boba milk tea and settle in, because we‘re going to geek out on Mei‘s true cultural identity!

A Quick Intro to Mei

For anyone unfamiliar with Overwatch, Mei is one of the game‘s damage-dealing "DPS" heroes. She‘s an adorable scientist who wields a handy Endothermic Blaster that can freeze enemies solid!

Mei‘s backstory is that she was a climatologist studying eco-systems in Antarctica when a disastrous polar storm hit, cutting her team off from the outside world. Mei put herself into cryostasis to survive, eventually reawakening years later to a changed world.

Now she adventures around the globe trying to re-establish her lost eco-network, all while battling baddies with her chilly abilities. But is she Chinese or Korean? Let‘s break it down…

Definitive Proof Mei is Chinese

Based on several key facts, I can say with 100% certainty that Mei is Chinese:

Mei‘s Official Background

Mei‘s official bio clearly states:

• Her full name is Mei-Ling Zhou
• She comes from the city of Xi‘an, China
• She studied climate science and has a doctorate

So straight from Blizzard themselves, Mei hails from China!

Mei‘s Cultural Design

Visually, Mei appears Chinese through and through:

• Her default skin wears traditional Chinese robes like a changshan and po overcoat.
• She sports adorable buns and braided loops common in Chinese hairstyles.
• Her pants resemble loose Chinese ku and her boots have upturned toes.

And her sprays feature Chinese art motifs like elegant Chinese knots.

Mei Speaks Fluent Mandarin

In her voice lines, Mei speaks perfect Mandarin Chinese:

• She greets you with "ni hao" (Chinese for hello)
• Counts numbers in Chinese – "yi, er, san" (one, two, three)
• Makes cute references to "dumplings"

She even shouts ult status updates in both English and Mandarin.

Mei‘s Chinese Abilities

While her ice powers reflect her climate expertise, some also reference Chinese culture:

• Her Endothermic Blaster resembles Chinese blowguns.
• Her Ice Wall could be inspired by the Great Wall of China.
• Cryo-Freeze evokes ancient Chinese ice caves.

Mei‘s Chinese Voice Actress

Mei‘s voice actress is Yu "Elise" Zhang, a native Mandarin speaker born in China. So authentically Chinese!

In-Game Evidence

Finally, there are sprays, skins, and map callouts that identify Mei as Chinese:

• On Chinese New Year, she gets skins like Luna and Honey Lemon.
• Sprays show Chinese locales like the Great Wall and Hong Kong skyline.
• On certain Chinese map locations, she has special callouts referencing her homeland.

No Meaningful Ties to Korea

While some speculate Mei could be Korean, there‘s no compelling evidence:

• Her name sounds Korean, but Mei is a common Chinese name.
• Minor outfit similarities, but still mostly Chinese garb.
• No voice lines in Korean or referencing Korea.
• No backstory connections to Korea.

With separate Korean heroes like D.Va already in the game, Mei wasn‘t designed as another Korean character.

Conclusion – Mei is Chinese!

Based on my expert analysis, I can conclude with 100% certainty that Mei is Chinese:

• Backstory – Official bio puts her in Xi‘an, China
• Language – Speaks Mandarin Chinese
• Clothing – Wears traditional Han Chinese robes
• Actress – Voiced by native Chinese Yu Zhang
• Abilities – Chinese cultural references
• In-game – Chinese New Year skins, Great Wall spray, etc

While some superficial similarities to Korea cause confusion, Mei has no meaningful ties to Korea in Overwatch lore or design. She‘s as authentically Chinese as dumplings and kung pao chicken!

So there you have it friend – the cold hard facts on Mei‘s true Chinese nationality. Let me know if you have any other Overwatch heroes you‘re curious about! I could talk about this game all day.

Catch you later,
Terry