Photo: Courtesy of Benny

The first set of emoji inspired by US music legend, Michael Jackson, in commemoration of the singer in China, was launched on WeChat on Tuesday. The move was applauded by Chinese fans.

The set of emoji features Jackson's classic white gloves with diamonds and shows different gestures such as 'thumbs up' and the 'love gesture'.

"This idea to use the image of the gloves jumped out suddenly," Benny, designer of the emoji told the Global Times on Wednesday. "Gestures are sometimes more expressive than facial expressions, so I decided to create a set of gestures using the gloves."

Benny said his deep love to Michael Jackson started when he was in his third year of elementary school. "I have made six books of newspaper clipping about him for 13 years."

The singer's spirit has encouraged him all the time, the designer said.

The set of emoji will not be the last one and Benny noted that he will continue creating more emojis about Jackson as an offering to all the fans and a way to commemorate and remember the star.

The Michael Jackson Chinese Fanclub applauded the launch of the emojis and many fans shared in the chat that they have already downloaded and used them. 

Some fans were expecting that animated images of Michael Jackson could also be designed as emoji.

Chinese fans have held many different events to commemorate the singer. 

A statue of Michael Jackson was unveiled at a business center of Beijing in August 2020 to celebrate the late idol's 62nd birthday. Hundreds of Chinese fans, ranging from their 50s to their teens, joined the event to see the golden life-size statue.