What is a Labubu, and why are people are lining up for hours to get one of these ‘ugly’ plush toys?

Ugly might be the new cute: Just look at Labubu, a “kind of ugly” plush toy that has sparked a buying frenzy across the world, especially in Asia, reported CNN. People from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur flocked to shopping malls on Friday to get the latest edition of the oh-so-collectible furry, while they quickly sold out online. Inspired by Nordic folklore, the toothy stuffed animal has high, pointy, rabbit-like ears, big round eyes, and a mischievous grin with serrated teeth. Made by Chinese toymaker Pop Mart, Labubus come in so-called “blind boxes” the size of a hand, which keep the contents a mystery until the box is opened. Pop Mart, which sells collectibles, has sold Labubus as part of its “The Monsters” series for a few years, making a staggering 3 billion yuan (or roughly $410 million in sales) last year alone, reported CNN. Meanwhile, in the U.S. on Friday, dozens of people lined up in the early morning hours in front of a Chicago Pop Mart store for the toy. By 6 a.m., a long line of fans snaked around the block. Labubu mania Celebrities from Rihanna to Lisa from Blackpink are fans of Labubu. The K-pop singer, who recently appeared in the television hit series “White Lotus,” recently proclaimed on Instagram, “Labubu is my baby.” On Wednesday, Lisa showed off her new pink-and-yellow tie-dye Labubu, from the latest collection, which is big news because she is credited in part with the toy’s extreme popularity in Southeast Asia, per CNN. According to Pop Mart’s website, illustrator Kasing Lung created a fairy tale world inspired by Nordic mythology in 2015, populating it with magical characters both good and evil, called “The Monsters”—the most prominent was Labubu, who is “kind-hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieves the opposite.” Lung was born in Hong Kong but grew up in the Netherlands, and draws from both cultures, which could explain Labubu’s cross-cultural global appeal.

Apr 25, 2025 - 22:02

What is a Labubu, and why are people are lining up for hours to get one of these ‘ugly’ plush toys?

Ugly might be the new cute: Just look at Labubu, a “kind of ugly” plush toy that has sparked a buying frenzy across the world, especially in Asia, reported CNN. People from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur flocked to shopping malls on Friday to get the latest edition of the oh-so-collectible furry, while they quickly sold out online.

Inspired by Nordic folklore, the toothy stuffed animal has high, pointy, rabbit-like ears, big round eyes, and a mischievous grin with serrated teeth. Made by Chinese toymaker Pop Mart, Labubus come in so-called “blind boxes” the size of a hand, which keep the contents a mystery until the box is opened.

Pop Mart, which sells collectibles, has sold Labubus as part of its “The Monsters” series for a few years, making a staggering 3 billion yuan (or roughly $410 million in sales) last year alone, reported CNN.

Meanwhile, in the U.S. on Friday, dozens of people lined up in the early morning hours in front of a Chicago Pop Mart store for the toy. By 6 a.m., a long line of fans snaked around the block.

Labubu mania

Celebrities from Rihanna to Lisa from Blackpink are fans of Labubu. The K-pop singer, who recently appeared in the television hit series “White Lotus,” recently proclaimed on Instagram, “Labubu is my baby.” On Wednesday, Lisa showed off her new pink-and-yellow tie-dye Labubu, from the latest collection, which is big news because she is credited in part with the toy’s extreme popularity in Southeast Asia, per CNN.

According to Pop Mart’s website, illustrator Kasing Lung created a fairy tale world inspired by Nordic mythology in 2015, populating it with magical characters both good and evil, called “The Monsters”—the most prominent was Labubu, who is “kind-hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieves the opposite.”

Lung was born in Hong Kong but grew up in the Netherlands, and draws from both cultures, which could explain Labubu’s cross-cultural global appeal.