What is a Labubu? Unboxing the monster plushie capturing …

Despite being ‘ugly cute’-zoned by the internet, Labubus have evolved into a cult artefact prompting tattoos, thefts and trademark wars.

66493

Smiskis on fire escape shelves, Sonny Angels on phone cases, Monchhichis on necklaces, Tamagotchis on ball chains and lobotomised Calico Critters on carabiners: in 2025, you’ll definitely hear Gen Zers and younger millennials before you see them. Over the past year, the multiverse of collectibles has also featured a snaggle-toothed monster—often dressed ear to toe in Miu Miu, dyed, tattooed, pierced and even given eyelash extensions and clinical breast augmentations.

Meet Labubu, the art doll increasingly dictating hearts, paychecks, Birkin bags and belt loops of trinket enthusiasts worldwide. Despite being ‘ugly cute’-zoned by the internet, Labubus have evolved into a cult artefact—becoming one of the fastest-growing proprietary products licensed by the Chinese toy company, POP MART.

So what’s the appeal behind the mischievous critters that makes them sell out within minutes of restocking? Why are people camping outside stores, scamming collectors with fake copies, breaking into claw machines and straight up stealing Labubus off backpacks? Does the scarcity and insatiable appetite for Labubus make them the final boss of hyperconsumption? Perhaps most importantly, is Labubu a girl, and who’s the petite skeleton they keep hanging out with?

What is a Labubu?

First introduced in 2015, Labubu is a whimsical elf created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung as part of his picture book series, The Monsters. The character was heavily influenced by Nordic folklore and features a round face, big eyes, pointy ears and nine serrated teeth, which form their iconic mischievous grin.

According to Lung’s original work, Labubu is a cheerful girl who is “kind-hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieves the opposite.” A lore-accurate Labubu is also about the same height as a house cat. The character assumed the wider status of being a pocket-sized companion following Lung’s license agreement with POP MART in 2019. Since then, Labubus have been reimagined as blind box collectibles across different series that capture them in wilderness and retro-futuristic worlds.

Two of the most popular Labubu series are ‘Exciting Macaron’ and ‘Have A Seat’, which present the fuzzy critters as plush pendants with ring clasps. While the ‘Exciting Macaron’ series includes seven distinct figurines (six regular editions and one secret pull) named after desserts, ‘Have A Seat’ comprises Labubus with mixed facial expressions—named along the lines of ZiZi, DaDa and HeHe.

Although the monster tribe in Lung’s storybook included characters like Zimomo (the spiky-tailed male leader of the elves) and Tycoco (Labubu’s shy skeleton boo), Labubus particularly skyrocketed in attention when Lisa from Kpop group BLACKPINK was spotted with the plushie and bag charm in April 2024. In the following months, Labubus accessorised several Southeast Asian celebrities, graced fashion weeks, received royal endorsements and fronted tourism campaigns in Thailand.

Customisation, controversies and the organic growth of the Labubu phenomenon

Though the market value of collectibles is projected to hit $35.3 billion by 2032, it’s difficult for a cultural phenomenon to stay relevant. Labubus first cemented their footing as a family heirloom by doubling as a blank slate for customisation. A quick scroll across media platforms shows fans ultra-personalising their babies and businesses offering dedicated cosmetic procedures, including dental alignment services.

For Hunter Chao, tattooing Labubus is a fun hobby which followed his interest in collecting Hironos, another POP MART Intellectual Property (IP). “It all started with me designing custom versions for friends, and then it snowballed from there—something I’m super grateful for,” the original Labubu tattooer told SCREENSHOT. Experimenting with black and red ink, Chao has previously recreated tattoos of owners, notably Sukuna-fied pink Labubus. “Most people either ask to be surprised, which I love because I get to lurk on their Instagram for inspiration, or request butterflies or my social media handle ‘crybaby’,” he added.

Besides customisations, Labubus have also infiltrated lifestyles by influencing our tastes in memes and pop culture. The impish character is also increasingly reframing leisure and our love for the great outdoors. Not only can you make Labubu starter packs on your way to a Labubu-themed rave, but you can also buy car seats designed to take the elf on long drives and attend dedicated meetups. Several online tutorials further teach you how to speak ‘Labunese’. One of the most popular artists on the scene is Leon Markcus, whose passion for collectibles started when he was spending his pocket money on $1 Pokémon gashapons and Digimon figurines.

“I’ve always been fascinated by toys, but as a kid, I didn’t have the privilege of buying whatever I wanted,” Markcus shared with SCREENSHOT. “Fast forward to 2022, I was introduced to POP MART through a friend who was a collector.” The actor and musician got his first Labubu, affectionately named ‘Laboo’, through a claw machine. “Not long after, Labubus started blowing up across Southeast Asia, and I saw them appearing in more arcades. Since I love being an irresponsible adult with adult money, I kept playing,” Markcus said. “That’s how I won ‘Bulbasaur’ (real name: Hehe). Hehe was a game changer—the more I looked at it, the cuter it became. My obsession with completing the ‘Have a Seat’ series hit an all-time high.”

Having nailed the distinct vocal styling of Labubus, Markcus had curated a range of TikToks reading classical literature and recreating pop music with Laboo. “Then I thought, why not sample those videos and turn them into a song? So I did, in ten minutes.” LABOO! offers an impressive crash course into the polarising appeal of Labubus while talking about the pleasures collectibles bring in ways men could never.

“I found it hilarious that people were so pressed about how others spent their own money,” Markcus shared. “Sure, you can dislike the IP, but policing people’s spending habits and saying they could’ve used their money on ‘more meaningful’ things?” According to Markcus, LABOO! was also an intrusive thought that won. “I’ve always been deeply inspired by pop culture, and this felt like a pop culture moment worth remembering,” he said. “Besides, Labubus and toys will never fail you. Men will.”

When Sonny Angel and Kewpie dolls first gripped popular culture, their appeal was linked to baby schema—which explains how physical features like big eyes, short limbs and round cheeks evoke a primal caretaking response in humans. Perhaps the bar for this trigger is set higher in Labubus. In the past, the blind box doll has been called “ugly cute” and “a hybrid between Teletubbies and Where the Wild Things Are.” The appeal can be wildly equated to that gingerbread beanie baby which was sold out last Christmas for being “too ugly.” Given the parallel rise of Furbies and Fugglers, this shift also makes one wonder if Labubus are trying to revive our childhood obsession with odd, squishy misfits.

“Throughout my years of collecting, I’ve been drawn to things people don’t find conventionally cute. The best example would be my massive Squishmallows Bigfoot collection,” said professional collector and custom plushie creator DaniSquishie. The enthusiast was introduced to Labubus after fellow creator @lasquishdaddy documented themselves hunting for a Halloween Labubu.

“When I first saw that video, I wasn’t immediately obsessed with Labubus, but for some reason, my mind kept thinking about them,” DaniSquishie said. After seeing hundreds of unboxing videos, she eventually decided to get one for herself. “Once I got my hands on the ‘Exciting Macaron’ blind box, it was all over—I was obsessed! Their beautiful yet creepy faces and smiles immediately won my heart.”

To date, DaniSquishie has dyed a range of Labubu plush pendants, experimented with painter’s tape and liquid latex to cover their vinyl face and even created a bisexual Labubu (or ‘LabuBI’). The enthusiast started dyeing Labubus by looking to customise the duplicates she pulled from blind boxes. “I was trying to get the secret, but unfortunately never did,” she shared. “I wanted to customise my duplicates so that I don’t just have two or three of the same one.”

In some of her videos, DaniSquishie also addresses the divided comments she receives on her Labubu dyeing journey. “Some people are super excited about the customisation and understand that this is a learning process for myself, but there have also been a lot of people who are very angry,” she said. The creator believes criticism is a part of putting oneself out on the internet. “No matter what you do, someone somewhere will find something wrong with it.”

This digital policing of creative processes and consumption habits encapsulates Markcus’ LABOO!. “I want people to know that it’s okay to live a little, have fun and do what you want,” the artist said. “Who cares what people think? I might be the crazy Labubu musician, but I’m happy and unapologetically me. And honestly, that’s something my culture could use more of.”

Scarcity in the age of hyper-personalisation

Like most blind boxes, scarcity drives demand for POP MART’s offerings. It’s therefore no surprise to see enthusiasts camping outside stores, arguing with others for breaking queues and even calling local enforcement for crowd control. But things get complicated when the demand for a collectible creates a secondary market for resellers and thieves. This market vaporises stock, encourages the circulation of fake Labubus (or ‘Lafufus’) and makes fans extra paranoid about their possessions.

All of this feeds into the controversy about counter-individuality and the superficiality of micro trends in the trinket world. The blind box model of Labubus also prompts arguments about gambling and emotional marketing as a gateway to hyperconsumption. How much of the buying impulse is trying yours? Is the Labubu lore a mere narrative to reconcile our feelings with the weird cuteness at hand? After all, aren’t trinkets supposed to be souvenirs that hold living memories and symbolise a life well-lived? But wait, doesn’t the more you have make it harder to define your personal style?

In an age when you can source premade keychains from brands, we’re increasingly reflecting on fashion’s relationship with authenticity and, in turn, psychoanalysing every trinket we buy. Perhaps the charm of Labubus lies in its potential for ultra-personalisation and creative styling. “I think Labubus grow on you,” Markcus admitted. “Unlike my favourite POP MART IPs Dimoo and Skullpanda, which have intricate conceptual designs, Labubus are like a blank canvas—that’s what makes them special.”

Heavily inspired by Y2K fashion, Markcus loves attaching Labubus to his pants and often wears them as necklaces. “It adds a playful touch to an otherwise basic outfit,” the artist said. “Sometimes, I even pair my Labubus with MiMis to give them a little partner. I feel like they’d get lonely otherwise. I know, I know, I’m insane.”

Chao also believes that the hype around Labubus will never die down. “They have that perfect ‘ugly cute’ charm that resonates with so many people, kind of like how Gen Z describes boys,” he laughed. “I think their demand will always be there, especially with customs. I wasn’t the first person to customise a Labubu, just the first to tattoo one! Now I see more artists jumping into this trend, which is really exciting.”

With the concept of ‘play’ back in fashion, customisation, experimentation, and remixing are memorialising Labubus in time. But like all dopamine-inducing pursuits, moderation is key. Meanwhile, you can grin like Labubus to “naturally become happy.” Just try not to creep anyone out during the process.