Labubus: Cute, but Devilish

Tiffany Sun

August 1, 2025

With long elf-like ears, big bright eyes, and a devilish smile of serrated teeth, these grinning little monster dolls, called Labubus, have gotten people lining up early in the morning in lines snaking across the street to enter Pop Mart. People clamor to purchase one before they’re swept off the shelves in an instant once again. But what exactly is this collection of cute but devilish dolls?

Back in 2015, inspired by Nordic fairytales, Hong Kong-born and Netherlands-raised artist Kasing Lung originally created Labubus for a book series. In 2019, Kasing Lung partnered with Pop Mart to introduce Labubus to the market, and in 2024, they became a global sensation. Many credit this sudden surge in popularity to Lisa from Blackpink, who hung one of these dolls on her purse, and since then, Labubus have risen from simply being a collective blind box item to a luxury accessory that everyone clamors to obtain.

With the rise of social media, anything and everything can go viral in an instant with just the right timing, right content, and a dash of luck. Labubus are loved for their charming and unique look—cute, but devilish—and the name has a funny ring to it. Not everyone understands the appeal, and some may criticize the dolls because of their unsettling appearance and unconventional design, but no one can disregard the value, hype, and luxury firmly associated with Labubus. Nowadays, many people sport a Labubu hanging from their bags, or have an entire collection in their house. The fact that these plush dolls are solely distributed in blind boxes in Pop Mart adds to the allure.

Labubus are but one of Pop Mart’s blind box collections that have steadily risen in popularity. The factor of uncertainty, mystery, and luck when opening a blind box has enraptured customers all around the world. Between 2023 and 2024, plush toy sales (including Labubus) have skyrocketed by 1,200% in Pop Mart, accounting for one-fifth of total revenue in 2024. This is incredible growth, considering plush toys only made up less than 4% of revenue in the previous year. Although nearly all of Pop Mart’s revenue came from China in 2021, where it rose to popularity first, Pop Mart’s global expansion has surged in recent years, and more than half of their revenue is projected to come from outside of China in 2026, with America being a major growing market.

The rise of Labubus, and in turn, their increasingly expensive prices that leave non-buyers incredulous, is a clear showcase of how consumer culture and recent trends have often been composed of dramatic and unexpected swan dives, fueled by one singular video blowing up on social media or the appearance of an item on a celebrity’s post. This illuminates both the unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators from all backgrounds, as well as obstacles and factors of luck that are hard to grapple with.

Whether you’re a Labubu fan or a skeptic, this trend does not seem to be dying down anytime soon, and we are most definitely going to see new limited edition Labubus, Lafufus (knockoffs), related merchandise, and (more) songs to come. These mischievous-looking creatures with their cute but devilish appearance have certainly created a global sensation.