Labubu: The ‘kind of ugly’ plush toy that has taken the world by storm

A guest carries an orange Hermes bag with a brown Labubu monster outside the Hermes fashion show during Paris Fashion Week on March 8. (Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

Bangkok, Thailand — People across Asia flocked to shopping malls and online stores Friday as they scrambled to get their hands on the latest edition of Labubu, a collectible toy that has sparked buying frenzies the world over.

Inspired by Nordic folklore, the toothy, fluffy figurines — which typically come in palm-sized “blind boxes” — drew crowds in cities from Bangkok, to Kuala Lumpur as the new collection went on sale. They were also made available online, where they quickly sold out.

The brainchild of Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised illustrator Kasing Lung, Labubu and fellow creatures from his “The Monsters” series have amassed a loyal following since their founding in 2015. But Labubu’s popularity has spiked over the past year, thanks to celebrity endorsements. Lisa, from K-pop mega group Blackpink, has frequently professed her love of the creature on social media. “Labubu is my baby,” she said in a recent Teen Vogue video.

Titled “Big Into Energy,” the latest drop features six vinyl plush pendants (and one “secret” figurine) representing “emotions” like love, hope and happiness — each made in new colorways.

The new Labubus cost between $13 and $16 each in various Asian countries. Shortly after their release on Friday, some pendants were being resold for up to $90 on US online resell platform StockX.

At the CentralWorld shopping mall in Bangkok, dozens of fans lined up before its branch of Pop Mart — Labubu’s licensed distributor — had even opened, despite having pre-registered time slots.

University student Kamolwan Pohfah, 21, said she left home early to reach the store because she couldn’t wait to get her hands on the newest collection. “I have been following Labubu for almost two years now,” she told CNN.

“It was kind of ugly at first sight. But I kept seeing it on social media. And my friends are crazy about it, so I follow them,” she said.

Tourist Emily Jong, 27, who was also in line and visiting from Australia, said she tried her luck at the mall hours before she was due to fly home, but left empty-handed. “We tried to line up but we didn’t know we have to register,” she said.

Hathairus Mekborisut, 53, bought a box set of six pendants. She decided to keep one, named “luck,” for herself and to resell the rest. She’s been “longing” for a purple one, she said.

Another reseller who goes by her nickname Mai, and wanted to remain anonymous, led a small group to buy up as many as possible. She said she could make double the retail price by reselling them to customers in other countries.

Despite recently shooting to global fame, Labubu (who is a girl) has been a decade in the making. She first appeared as a side character, often hiding in the background, in a fairy world created by Lung in his three-part picture book series, “The Monsters,” according to Pop Mart, the Chinese toy company licensed to sell Labubu merchandise.

Boasting rabbit-like ears, big round eyes and a mischievous grin, Labubu is “kind-hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieves the opposite,” the company said on its website.

Lung, 52, previously told Hong Kong local newspaper Ming Pao that the character was inspired by his childhood, which was filled with Nordic folk tales of elves, trolls and fairies. After moving to the Netherlands as a child, he picked up Dutch through simple picture books.

Fans often accessorize their outfits by clipping Labubu plushies onto their clothes or bags (they were even spotted at Paris Fashion Week last month). The figurines are also taken to fan-led meet-ups or posted on online marketplaces, where they are traded and resold.

Pop Mart, a Chinese toymaker that has made its mark in a collectibles market traditionally dominated by Japan, has found success in selling Labubus in a blind-box format — which makes contents a mystery until opened, adding to their appeal. “The Monsters” series is its best-selling franchise, and last year generated 3 billion yuan ($410 million) in sales.

Videos of young fans anxiously unboxing the figurines, and erupting into joy — or sometimes disappointment — have flooded social media platforms like TikTok. And celebrities like Rihanna and Blackpink’s Rosé have only added to the hype.

On Wednesday, Blackpink’s Lisa showed off her new pink and yellow tie-dye furry Labubu, from the latest release, in an Instagram story. She revealed herself as a fan about a year ago, when a photo of the star hugging a large Labubu in a camping costume went viral. Her endorsement is widely credited with fueling the toy’s popularity, particularly in Southeast Asia, which is Pop Mart’s largest — and fastest growing — overseas market. Last year, the Chinese toymaker’s annual revenues in the region grew by 619% to over 2.4 billion yuan ($309 million).

A fan base is also growing in the US, though American buyers will have to pay more for their purchases amid a trade war between China and the US, which has hit most Chinese imports with a 145% tariff. (China retaliated with a 125% tariff.) A blind box from the latest series, which also went on sale in the US on Friday, is priced at $27.99, up from $21.99 for the previous series.

Among the new Labubus being released is a rare one labeled “Secret,” which buyers have just a 1-in-72- chance of unboxing.

“It’s quite fun. If you do get the secret ones, you do get the dopamine,” said 27-year-old collector Lawrence Yu, who lives in Melbourne, Australia and has so far spent $1,200 Australian dollars ($763) on over two dozen Labubus, ranging from ones found in “blind boxes” to plush toys.

He recalled arriving ahead of a drop at a local mall, where a new Pop Mart store had opened last October, at 2:30 a.m, before spending 10 hours in line.

“I hope it comes to Melbourne soon,” he said in a video call, referring to the new series, which will not be released in physical stores in Australia until the end of this month.