You’ve probably seen people going gaga over this character called Labubu. But what exactly is it, and why are Gen Zs so obsessed with it while Millennials and Boomers are like, “Simi Laobu?”
Fear not, we’re here to break it down for you: its history that you probably didn’t know of, and why it’s so popular.
If you prefer to watch a video on this topic instead, here’s a video for you:
So, What on Earth is Labubu?
First things first, let’s get acquainted with Labubu. This quirky character is part of a designer toy series called The Monsters, created by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised artist Kasing Lung back in 2015.
Think of The Monsters as a funkier version of your childhood Lego sets or those adorable IKEA plushies. They’ve no cartoon series or whatnot, although Pop Mart did do some animation to introduce several Labubu version (yes, even with a theme song):
However, back then, Lung’s brainchild made its debut under a different company. This was how it looked like:
It wasn’t until 2019 that Labubu started gaining some serious traction. That’s when Lung inked an exclusive licensing deal with Pop Mart, a brand that’s practically synonymous with blind boxes (more on that later).
But the real game-changer came in April 2024, when Blackpink’s Lisa posted about Labubu on her social media.
With Lisa being a Thai native, her endorsement sparked a full-blown Labubu buying frenzy in Thailand. The rest, as they say, is history.
Diving into the World of Blind Boxes
Now, you might be wondering, what’s the deal with Pop Mart, and why did Labubu’s popularity skyrocket after joining forces with them?
Well, once you’re in with Pop Mart, which primarily produces and sells blind boxes, you’re basically destined for stardom, even if you’re an unpopular chonky blue cat.
Blind boxes typically feature a series of figures, like a Harry Potter collection, but here’s the catch – you don’t know which specific design you’ll get until you open the box.
It’s kind of like trading cards or those soccer player sticker books from the 90s. Ring a bell, Millennials?
At its core, the blind box craze taps into our brain’s love for anticipating rewards. It’s a concept that’s been around for ages, even dating back to our childhood days.
So, combine the inherent allure of blind boxes with a viral character like Labubu, and you’ve got a recipe for an unstoppable trend that everyone wants a piece of.
Because let’s face it, our brains can be a bit silly sometimes.
Now, of course, the other reason is that Blackpink’s Lisa was seen carrying it, and that Labubu is cute.
But seriously, if so, you might need to head to a toy shop to realign your definition of “cute”.
Watch this for a complete summary of what REALLY happened to Qoo10, and why it's like a K-drama:
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