Luckin Coffee Brews a Merdeka Story With Kisah Bawah Tanah
Merdeka this year arrives with a coffee cup in one hand and a cast of Malaysian ghosts in the other. Luckin Coffee has teamed up with Kisah Bawah Tanah, the homegrown animated series that turns local folklore into comedy, for a seasonal campaign called "Rasa Kita, Cerita Kita" that runs through the patriotic month. It pairs a new Gula Melaka drinks line with the pontianak, pocong and other figures many Malaysians grew up hearing about.
What Luckin Coffee is pouring this Merdeka
The drinks roll out nationwide from 14 August 2026, starting with the Gula Melaka Series built around caramelised palm sugar. The Gula Melaka Shakerato is shaken and served ice-cold, with a foamy espresso top over a coconut base and layers of gula melaka underneath. The Gula Melaka Latte is the everyday option, dark roast espresso against smoky palm sugar for a softer, subtly sweet finish. Luckin says two more seasonal flavour series will follow in the coming weeks, so the menu keeps shifting through the Merdeka season.
Seasonal drops are familiar territory for the chain, which earlier leaned tropical with a pair of coconut-flavoured coffees. The nationwide reach is part of the point too, coming after the brand passed 120 outlets and pushed south.
Folklore with a comedic twist
Kisah Bawah Tanah, made by Animasia Studio, takes figures usually played for scares, the pontianak, pocong, hantu raya and penanggal among them, and drops them into everyday Malaysian situations for laughs instead. The series was developed over ten years, premiered on Astro, and has begun a regional rollout in Thailand on the Boom channel.
For the campaign, both sides made four mini-episodes under the same "Rasa Kita, Cerita Kita" theme, each built around a value: spirit, soul, resilience and harmony. Fan-favourite characters including Sam, Zack, Ina, Tok Mart, Vincent and Pocing appear across them, and the episodes will be released on Luckin Coffee's social channels through the campaign.
"Seeing these iconic characters step into Luckin Coffee stores is deeply rewarding, and we hope it brings a warm smile and a nostalgic moment over a cup of coffee," said Dr Jeff Lim Chee Lip, Chief Executive Officer of Luckin Coffee Malaysia.
Merch to take home
The collaboration also comes with limited-edition Kisah Bawah Tanah merchandise, described as playful and a little spooky: puffy stickers, umbrellas and plushie tote bags. It goes on sale across all Luckin Coffee stores and through the Luckin Coffee mobile app from 14 August 2026, while stocks last.
It is the latest homegrown tie-up to lean on Merdeka, a season that has drawn plenty of local food and drink, from Merdeka-themed menus around Kuala Lumpur to limited runs at other Malaysian chains. What this one adds is a reason to linger over the cup, and a familiar cartoon face on the sticker that comes with it.
