Labubu: where does this little monster come from, and why is everyone talking about it?

There was no escaping it: in 2025, Labubu was everywhere. Clipped onto luxury bags, in shop windows, all over social media, with endless queues outside the stores. This little monster with pointy teeth became one of the most sought-after objects in the world. But where does it come from, and why is everyone talking about it? Here is the story, from one collector to another.

Who is Labubu?

Labubu was born in the imagination of Kasing Lung, an illustrator born in Hong Kong in 1972 who grew up in the Netherlands. As a child, he fell in love with tales and elves from Nordic mythology. That is where his universe The Monsters comes from, which first appeared in 2015: a tribe of mischievous little creatures, of which Labubu is the most famous, along with friends like Zimomo, Tycoco, Spooky and Pato.

Labubu is instantly recognisable: big pointy ears, a soft body and a wide grin full of little teeth. A look that is both cute and slightly unsettling, which is exactly its charm.

From small runs to a global craze

The first The Monsters figures came out in small runs, with the toy maker How2Work. The real turning point came in 2019, when Kasing Lung teamed up with Pop Mart, the Chinese brand that specialises in blind boxes. Labubu then started appearing in mystery boxes sold in stores, online and in vending machines.

For a few years, Labubu had its fans without being the brand’s best-selling character. Everything changed in April 2024, when Lisa from K-pop group Blackpink was seen with a Labubu hanging from her bag. The photos went around the world, first in Southeast Asia, then everywhere. Other celebrities followed, and the little monster became the accessory to have.

Why everyone wants one

Labubu’s success is not just about one celebrity. Several ingredients add up:

1. The blind box: you do not know which figure you will get. That little surprise makes you want to try again to complete your series, and makes rare figures highly sought after. We explain it all in how do blind boxes work?.
2. Scarcity: new series come out in limited quantities and sell out fast, which fuels resale at much higher prices.
3. “Ugly-cute”: not quite adorable, not really scary, Labubu appeals to adults as much as to younger fans.
4. The charm trend: the plush versions clip onto bags. Labubu becomes a fashion accessory that you show off.
5. Social media: box-opening (“unboxing”) videos often rack up millions of views and make people want to try.

Mind-boggling numbers

In June 2025, the Yongle auction house in Beijing held the very first auction dedicated to Labubu. The star lot, a mint-green figure standing 131 cm tall and presented as the only one in the world, sold for 1.08 million yuan, about 150,000 dollars. 48 lots were on offer that day.

The craze also had its excesses. In May 2025, Pop Mart paused Labubu sales in its 16 UK stores to “prevent any potential safety issues” given the crowds. And some shops that do not sell them ended up saying so in their window, to stop the questions.

Watch out for fake “Lafufus”

Success brings fakes. Counterfeit Labubus are so common that they have their own nickname: “Lafufus”. To avoid them:

• Buy from Pop Mart (stores, vending machines, website and app) or an official retailer.
• Be wary of prices that are too low: a series that sells out is never sold off cheaply.
• Look at the box and the figure: blurry printing, approximate colours, sloppy stitching or paint are bad signs.
• Check the authentication code found on official products.

This advice applies to all collectible figures: an authentic piece, with its box and paperwork, keeps its full value in collectors’ eyes. We go into more detail in our article on limited edition art toys.

After Labubu?

The Labubu craze introduced millions of people to blind boxes and art toys. Many want to go further and discover other universes and other artists. If that is you:

• our selection of blind boxes like Labubu presents eight series to discover;
• to understand where these artist figures come from, read what is an art toy?;
• and if you want a French blind box, designed in Lille, discover EQSO The Crew: six street-style characters (skateboarder, break dancer, graffiti artist…) and one secret figure, with a 1 in 100 chance of finding it.

Sources: Wikipedia (Labubu), Reuters via BNN Bloomberg (June 2025 auction), CNN (the Lisa effect).