The 韭菜 metaphor predates the internet — it appeared in Chinese stock market slang as early as the 2000s, describing retail investors who lose money, come back, and lose again. But it went mainstream during China's 2017-2018 cryptocurrency boom when millions of ordinary people bought into speculative tokens and got wiped out. Influencers and platforms that promoted these schemes were accused of 割韭菜 (cutting leeks) — harvesting their followers for profit.

The term expanded beyond finance into any exploitative dynamic: education companies that sell overpriced courses, apps with predatory subscription models, real estate developers marketing to anxious parents, even dating apps. The self-awareness is key: calling yourself 韭菜 is both a complaint and a resigned joke. The agricultural metaphor is apt — leeks are one of the hardiest vegetables, regrowing from the same root after every cut. That's the dark humor: the system depends on victims who keep coming back.