Labubu
Labubu is a brand of plush toys created by Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung and marketed by Pop Mart.[1][2][3]
History
[edit]Labubu is a character designed by Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong–born artist raised in the Netherlands.
According to CNA Lifestyle (2024), Lung initially sketched his designs with a pen. His love for fairy tales eventually led him to paint Labubu and its friends.[2]
Labubu was first introduced in 2015[3] and gained wider recognition in 2019 following a collaboration with Pop Mart.[1][4]
This partnership boosted Labubu's popularity among collectors. Labubu dolls have since been produced in various colors, shapes, and sizes, ranging from plush toys to vinyl figures.[2]
Inspiration
[edit]Lung created the story series The Monsters, which was influenced by Nordic folklore[5] and mythology that he enjoyed during his childhood.[3]
Design
[edit]Labubus are described as having a playful yet slightly fierce look. It features a round, furry body, wide eyes, pointed ears,[6] and a set of sharp teeth that form a mischievous smile.[2][5] The tribe includes Zimomo, Tycoco, Spooky, Pato, and Labubu.[7][4]
Recognition
[edit]The toy gained widespread attention in April 2024 after Blackpink's Lisa was spotted with it,[1] both as a plush toy[8] and as a keychain on her bag. This sparked a trend that quickly contributed to its growing recognition in Thailand and other parts of Southeast and East Asia.[2] In addition, Labubu's popular series, featuring a blind box format with hidden or mystery figures, introduces an element of surprise that appeals to the excitement of uncertainty, often sparking a gambling-like thrill among collectors.
Pop Mart's 2024 interim report, released on August 20, revealed that "The Monsters" line generated sales of 6.3 billion Chinese yuan (approximately US$87 million) in the first half of the year.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Cheung, Adam. (2025-04-30). ""I was told they were sold out. I wanted one immediately": Why countless guys are obsessed with those weird and wild Labubu dolls". British GQ. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ a b c d e Tabiolo, Jewil Anne M. (2024-10-19). "All You Need to Know:Labubu 'hottest collectible' right now". SunStar Publishing Inc. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ a b c Fernando, Jeff (2024-10-23). "Labubu mania sweeps the Philippines: Celebrities can't get enough of these whimsical toys". Daily Tribune. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ a b Bargeron, Sadie. "Blackpink's Lisa's favorite Pop Mart toy Labubu causes global mania | Jing Daily". jingdaily.com. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ a b Surbano, Eric E. (2024-09-21). "Decoding the Labubu hype from its origins to creator and celebrity endorsements". Prestige Online - Malaysia. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ a b Bharade, Aditi; Liam, Erin (2024-11-15). "A fluffy, $85 toy is taking Asia by storm and sparking legions of knockoffs. Inside the meteoric rise of Labubu". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ Zachariah, Natasha Ann (2024-11-14). "Going ga-ga over Labubu: The toy that has fans fighting, faking and stealing it". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ Chang, Andrea (2024-11-05). "Overnight lines, mall fights and instant sellouts: Labubu toy mania comes to America". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
