A furry, bunny-eared elf with a mischievous, nine-toothed grin has taken the world by storm, becoming a must-have accessory for celebrities and a source of both delight and dispute. Known as Labubu, this collectible plush toy has transcended its origins to become a global cultural phenomenon, sparking long queues, soaring resale prices, and a burgeoning black market. But behind its “ugly-cute” appeal lies a complex story of artistic inspiration, commercial success, and significant controversy.
From Folklore to Global Fame
Labubu is the creation of Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong-born artist who grew up in the Netherlands. Inspired by the Nordic folklore and mythology he loved as a child, Lung first introduced Labubu in 2015 as a character in his illustrated story series, “The Monsters.” The character is depicted as a kind-hearted but clumsy elf, part of a tribe of similar creatures. While the initial figurines were produced with the company How2Work, Labubu’s popularity exploded after Lung partnered with Chinese toy giant Pop Mart in 2019.
This collaboration turned the niche art toy into a commercial powerhouse. The brand’s popularity reached a fever pitch in April 2024 after Lisa, a member of the K-pop group Blackpink, was seen with a Labubu keychain. The endorsement, along with sightings on bags of celebrities like Rihanna and Cher, ignited a frenzy across Asia and beyond. According to Pop Mart’s 2024 interim report, the Labubu line generated an astonishing 6.3 billion Chinese yuan (approximately US$870 million) in sales in the first half of the year alone.
The Thrill of the Hunt
A key driver of Labubu’s success is its “blind box” sales model. Each box contains a random character from a themed series, with the chance of finding a rare “secret” figure. This element of surprise taps into a collector’s thrill of the hunt, a concept familiar from trading cards and capsule toys. As Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, a curator at the Strong Museum of Play, told NPR, this model leverages childhood nostalgia and the universal appeal of play. The scarcity of certain designs has created a lucrative resale market, where a standard $28 blind box can yield a rare figure fetching over $149 online. In a more extreme case, a 1.2-meter-tall Labubu was sold for $170,000 at an auction in Beijing.
The Dark Side of the Craze
The intense demand has also fueled a dark side. A thriving black market for counterfeit dolls, colloquially known as “Lafufus,” has emerged. An investigation by The Guardian revealed an underground production network in Shenzhen, China, where fakes are assembled. The Chinese government, viewing Labubu as a rare “soft power” success, has begun aggressively cracking down on these operations, framing the protection of Labubu’s intellectual property as a matter of national interest.
The Better Business Bureau has issued warnings to consumers about the fakes. According to reports, authentic Labubus can be identified by their nine distinct teeth, a holographic QR code on the box, and an authenticity stamp on the doll’s foot. Fakes often have a different number of teeth and lack these verification marks.
Beyond counterfeits, the craze has led to public order issues and international bans. In May 2025, Pop Mart temporarily halted sales in its UK stores to prevent fights among customers. Meanwhile, some governments have taken a more severe stance. Russian officials proposed a ban, citing the doll’s “frightening appearance” as potentially harmful to children’s mental health. In July 2025, authorities in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region banned the doll and seized thousands of units, following claims they caused behavioral problems and were linked to “demonic spirits”—a sentiment echoed by online conspiracy theories. Despite these controversies, Labubu continues to be a cultural touchstone, appearing everywhere from political rallies in Singapore to religious festivals, solidifying its status as more than just a toy.
