It’s a plush doll. It’s a bag charm. It’s a collectible item that was recently sold for six figures. But no, this extremely popular creature is not a Gremlin or one of the monsters from Maurice Sendak’s children’s classic, “Where the Wild Things Are”.
Meet Labubu
Labubus come in a variety of sizes, like dolls and plushies, but the most popular ones come in blind boxes (more on that below), are adored among young adults, and are considered a fashion trend — often attached to bags or belt loops. More recently, people dressing up as plushies have appeared at a Gay Pride parade and an anti-immigration protest in Los Angeles.
Whether these toys are truly “cute” or not is up for debate. But there’s no denying that their mischievous, toothy grins and furry bodies have become a global sensation — generating long lines at toy stores, selling out online in minutes, and being resold at double or triple the original price on resale markets.
Last week, a life-size Labubu figure sold for over US$170,000 at the first Labubu art auction organized by Yongle Auction in China. The event attracted nearly 1,000 bidders, according to Yongle.
In last week’s “Word of the Week,” we delved into the meaning and story behind Labubu — as well as what its rise reveals about today’s consumers.
Where does the name “Labubu” come from?
Before becoming highly sought-after collectibles, Labubus were characters from fairy tales created by artist Kasing Lung.
Born in Hong Kong, Lung moved to the Netherlands at age 7, where he quickly fell in love with Nordic fairy tales — especially those about elves. Inspired by eccentric folklore, Lung launched a series of illustrated books called “The Monsters” in 2015, featuring a playful tribe of elves known as Labubus.
“That’s why I wanted to create something that I always knew existed in my heart,” he said in an interview with CGTN Europe in March. “It’s amazing that so many people love it.”
Labubus are described as kind and willing to help — though their good intentions sometimes lead to chaos. According to Lung, there are about 100 different Labubus in the series. One story involves a Labubu dating a shy skeleton named Tycoco and frequently teasing him with pranks.
How Labubu became a global sensation
Lung launched a series of artist toys inspired by the characters shortly after releasing the “The Monsters” trilogy.
But the toy collection only caused a global frenzy when he partnered with Chinese toy company POP MART in 2019.
According to POP MART, revenue from the launch of the first Monsters series “broke the sales record in the art toy category.” Over the years, the collection has been spotted on the bags of pop singers like Dua Lipa, Rihanna, and Lisa from the K-pop group BLACKPINK.
Labubu dolls come in various colors and are sold in “blind boxes,” meaning the figure inside is a mystery until opened. Part of the appeal is the surprise element and the chance of unboxing a rare “secret” doll.
In the US, a Labubu blind box sells for US$27.99. But high demand often drives resale prices up. On eBay, a rare Chestnut Cocoa secret Labubu can cost over US$149.
The global frenzy around Labubus has also boosted the market for doll clothes and counterfeit Labubus, sometimes called “Lafufus.”
What does the blind box craze say about today’s consumers?
The blind box concept isn’t new. It taps into a long-standing fascination with mystery and chance, according to Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, curator at the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.
Think of cereal box prizes, capsule toys from vending machines, or Japanese lucky bags, which are sealed bags filled with random items as a way for retailers to offload remaining stock, said Parnett-Dwyer. Even collectible cards like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh offer a similar thrill.
“I think there’s a lot of things whose popularity among adults or young adults derives from childhood nostalgia,” said Parnett-Dwyer.
She added that reconnecting with one’s inner child is ultimately something positive.
“I think play is crucial for everyone, at all ages. It helps us interact with each other. It helps us in some way — it’s a cliché — to stay young,” she said.
Source: npr.org by Juliana Kim