Labubu mania: Celebs love them, fans hunt them, and resellers cash in

With a round, furry body, pointy ears, and sharp teeth curled into a mischievous grin, Labubus look like tiny elven creatures. The Labubu is not cute like most plush toys. Instead, they’re more like ugly but charming gremlins.

With the help of AI, fans are transforming photos of their Labubu into short clips of them doing chores. These clips include putting on an apron and washing the dishes. It's all a joke, but it's half-rooted in reality.

The Labubu has a cult-like status, and some fans treat this tiny creature as a furry companion. This little monster has taken on a life of its own.

Is Labubu luxury gambling?

When it comes to Labubus, the concept of luxury gambling stems from several factors: the blind box format, scarcity, and the thrill of the hunt. It creates a sense of reward similar to gambling. Much like let's say online casinos, the experience taps into dopamine-driven behaviour, where chance and anticipation keep collectors coming back.

Let's look at the factors in more detail:

• Blind Box Format: Labubu figures are sold in blind boxes, so you won't know which design you'll get. This element of surprise, along with the potential of obtaining a rare or special edition, gets fans excited.
• Scarcity and Limited Edition: The popularity has led to high demand and limited availability. The scarcity of limited editions is the primary reason for the price hikes, making them highly sought after.
• Fashion and Celebrity Appeal: They became popular among fashion-conscious individuals, including some celebrities. This has sparked the Labubu trend and made them a “wanted” accessory.
• Dopamine Release: The excitement of opening the blind box and the thought of getting a special edition can trigger a dopamine release, similar to the gambling experience. This causes the Labubu to become "addictive".

Social media influence

Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram are the leading cause of the Labubu frenzy. Users are posting videos of themselves unboxing, which creates a sense of community around the collectables.

Labubu figures are produced in limited quantities, and their popularity has driven demand significantly higher than their availability. Pop Mart has deliberately created a sense of scarcity by controlling the release of new figures. This scarcity and the difficulty in getting them have left some in tears.

Lafufu – The fake Labubu phenomenon

Lafufu is not an official Pop Mart creation. It is simply a term collectors use for the fake Labubu figures.

How did a collectable item become a global obsession?

The Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung introduced Labubu as part of the Monsters picture book series in 2015. Drawing from European fairy tales and his imagination, Lung crafted a world that felt both nostalgic and strange.

The turning point for Labubu came in 2019 when Lung struck a deal with Pop Mart. The partnership with the Chinese toy company brought Labubu and the rest of the Monsters, including Zimomo, Tycoo, Spooky, and Pato, into mass production. The Labubu collectable generated $410 million in sales last year for Pop Mart.

On various social media platforms, like the Chinese app Xiaohongshu, TikTok and Instagram, users post their collections as “Labubu hauls”. You will also see some hyper-specific memes about which version best matches their personality.

Titled "Big into Energy," the latest drop features six vinyl plush pendants representing different emotions, like love, hope, and happiness. The new Labubus costs between $13 and $16 each in different Asian countries. Not long after the release, resellers advertised them for up to $90 on the US online resell platform StockX.

In the US, it is not all about online selling. The fan base is growing, and tough American fans will have to pay more for their Labubu amid the trade war between China and the US. A blind box from the latest series is priced at $27.99, which is up from $21.99 for the previous series.

How celebs made Labubu the hottest item of the year

Celebrity endorsements are one of the many reasons Labubu's popularity spiked over the past year.

Lisa, from the K-pop mega-group Blackpink, has shown her affection for the creature on social media. Recently, Lisa showed off her new pink and yellow tie-dye furry Labubu from the latest release on her Instagram story. She only recently revealed herself as a fan when a photo of her hugging a large Labubu in a camping costume went viral.

Olivia posted on Instagram that the element of surprise inherent in the blind boxes adds to the allure. She posted a story on Instagram where she excitedly opened her mystery bag after visiting a pop-up store. Rihanna was also snapped proudly wearing one in her Louis Vuitton handbag while walking in LA.

Lizzo gave a shoutout to the Labubu on a verse she rapped for a remix of the song Whim Whamiee, "Can't even outdress my Labubu," she rapped in a video posted on Instagram. Her Labubu even made an appearance in the video, wearing a blue bucket hat, matching overalls, and a cross-body bag. On a TikTok post, Lizzo's Labubu had a different outfit with the caption, "Me & Louis matched for Pride."

Fans camp out, queue up, and cash in

Fans also have meet-ups, and the Labubus are posted on online marketplaces. Let's see what some fans have to say.

"It's quite fun. If you do get the secret ones, you can feel the dopamine," said 27-year-old collector Lawrence Yu, who lives in Melbourne, Australia. Yu has spent $1,200 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, and he spent 10 hours in line.

At the CentralWorld shopping mall in Bangkok, many fans lined up before Pop Mart despite having pre-registered time slots. University student Kamolwan Pohfah said she left home early to reach the store because she couldn't wait to get her hands on the new collection. "It was kind of ugly at first sight. But I kept seeing it on social media. My friends are crazy about it, so I follow them," she said.

Emily Jong, a 27-year-old tourist from Australia who was also in line, 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 had to register," she said.

A reseller named Mai led a small group to buy up as many as possible. She said she could sell them for double the retail price to customers in other countries.

Rare editions spark a shadow market and gambling fears

In Singapore, spinning a wheel and winning a rare Labubu is a chance desperate fans take on social media platforms like TikTok. The fans typically spend up to US$110 per round to obtain one of the rare editions of the toys. Livestreams may also offer blind boxes on digital scratch-and-win "cards".

A lawyer said, "If you look at this whole idea of a mystery box, it is actually a very minor, or maybe some people will say it is a harmless form of gambling. But it is what it is. It is gambling." Under the Act, those who are caught conducting betting operations can be fined up to US$500,000 and jailed for up to seven years for a first offence. Individuals under the age of 18 may be fined US$1,500.

TikTok said it does not permit the promotion or facilitation of gambling or gambling-like activities. Accounts that violated TikTok's guidelines on gambling have been banned, and the platform has taken action against similar accounts.

Labubu sales suspended in the UK

A Pop Mart retail store in the UK has suspended sales of Labubu toys due to rising concerns over public safety and threats staff have received. Recent reports of global thefts and violence in queues tied to sought-after collectables are one of the main reasons for the cessation of sales.

The limited availability has drawn fans from abroad to the UK, with Pop Mart seeing queues and chaotic scenes outside its stores. A supervisor at Pop Mart in London said:

"This product has many, many fans from everywhere in the world, and in some countries, it's not available for purchase, so there are many people who come to London just to purchase them."

"Some people wait for hours in front of the store, and it is so sad to see them be disappointed because the resellers create a really difficult environment for them, or they get violent," she added.

Although the store in London had adopted a ticketing system to manage the crowds, the tensions escalated. Some people try to buy the tickets from others in the queue, and if they don't sell them, they end up threatening them. Pop Mart confirmed the suspension of sales on Instagram, citing safety risks. They said it is essential to provide a safe, fair, and comfortable shopping experience for everyone, including customers and staff.

CCTV footage in Asia captured a family stealing Labubu dolls from a claw machine, while in California, reports surfaced of a car break-in in which three Labubu toys were stolen. A UK collector said:

"It's just not safe to take it outside at the moment. There are so many TikTok trends at the moment, such as how people are getting punched as prices reach $675 for rare dolls."

Tiny teeth, big feelings

The world's fascination with these seemingly cute creatures reveals a more profound human longing. Fans are not just buying toys. They are buying a connection to a simpler time, a moment of pure joy in a world that often feels overwhelming. Also works as a tiny, furry way to reduce stress and boost your mood.

So, the next time you see someone excitedly unboxing the blind boxes, remember that a specific blind box contains more than just a toy.

It’s like a tiny portal to a world of childlike wonder, and it serves as a testament to the power of play, reminding us that sometimes, the best way to help people navigate the tough times of adulthood is to let your inner child lead the way.