LEGO Love Their Brick-built Characters

The LEGO Group’s collection of brick-built character models is on a roll in 2026, adding Shrek (one of my cherished characters) to a line-up that is just getting bigger year after year. 

They embrace a wide variety of themes. Coming soon from the LEGO Group (in partnership with Universal) are the first-ever Shrek sets, bringing the beloved ogre to life in brick form.  

The LEGO Shrek sets are due to release June 01 and comprise of a triple BrickHeadz pack and a larger display piece focused on Shrek & Donkey. Fans of the animated movies will be able to build some of their favourite characters, including Gingy, Donkey, and Shrek, there is even a Puss in Boots Minifigure. 

Two new sets for adult and kid builders launch to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary:

If you must know, its roots go much farther back in LEGO history. Technically, the first buildable character sets (of the full character, not a bust) were 8010 Darth Vader and 8011 Jango Fett in Star Wars’ brief crossover with Technic in 2002.

Come 2017, such sets would become a normal part of the LEGO portfolio, but only with a handful of sets every year. And as more licenses join the portfolio, the range of buildable character sets continue to grow. 

Notably, Star Wars would remain a part of it at every stage, and now they have a bigger selection of buildable characters to choose from than at any other point in LEGO history. 

These models come in all shapes and sizes, too. Whether you want them to be huge and displayable, or smaller and playable, there’s something for everyone. 

They don’t always depict humanoid or otherwise normal versions of these characters, either. Most recently, the LEGO Group have experimented with up-scaled minifigures of key characters, such as Santa and Harry Potter (left). 

Whether you love them or not, LEGO buildable character sets are here to stay!

NYC’s Ratbubu Appears Just in Time for Halloween

New York is gross – and it appears New Yorkers love it that way.

An unapologetically weird  pop-up had raised a big stink, celebrating the city’s signature grime with a cheeky collection of rat-themed merch and chaotic charm, including a sold-out Ratbubu – a tattooed and pierced Labubu dressed like a rodent. 

The WELOVENYC “Comeback Collection” – featuring everything from creepy Ratbubu plushies to trash-bag earbud covers ($25), “Legal Cocaine” coffee mugs ($35) and “Sh*t Shield” sneaker guards ($12) – had true New Yorkers embracing the grit and grime of their beloved dirty city. 

“It’s more about what New York is really like. The funky stuff”, Tanya De Poli, a co-creator of WELOVENYC collection, told The New York Post about the curious compilation, a collaboration between numerous New York artists, which drew a long line of locals to the dingy corner of Walker and Lafayette for the October 24 opening. And it ran until November 01.

There was a certain authenticity about this pop-up, considering the Big Apple has employed a “rat czar” and even features a rat whisperer who offers tours of the city’s most populous rodent hangouts. 

Shoppers were greeted in the teeny space at 101 Lafayette St. by a back wall covered in real rat traps spray-painted with “We Heart NYC”, where some of the creepy but cute $55 Ratbubus – the store’s priciest item – hung. The first 300 limited-edition toys sold out on opening night itself. 

Labubus – small, plush toy keychains of an elf-like monster adorned with pointed ears, a wide serrated grin, large eyes, and fuzzy costumes – have gained popularity after being sported on the designer bags of celebrities like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, BLACKPINK’s Lisa, David Beckham, Emma Roberts, Hillary Duff, Kim Kardashian and countless others. Some have sold for as high as $10,000. 

But the new, coveted Ratbubus were much cheaper. 

Opening night also offered free, pre-designed “flash” tattoos by Chris Torres with any $50 purchase; the team was stunned by how many people waited patiently to have a rat permanently inked on their skin! 

And among the artists popping up was Pamela Barsky, known as the “Original New York Bag Lady” for her line of scrawled-on totes. Her radical rodent bags ($35) offer phrases that include “Sometimes I think the rats run this city better than we do” and “Real New Yorkers don’t scream when they see a rat”.

“It’s the new and more honest New York”, WELOVENYC co-creator Checha Agost Carreno attested. 

Understandably, the pop-up drew in an appreciative, clearly homegrown audience. 

“We didn’t want this collection to be for the tourists”, De Poli added.

And Here Comes Wakukus

You might know Labubus, the popular toy and fashion accessory sold by PopMart – but have you heard of one of their rivals? 

Wakukus are a similar collectible blind box toy made by the company Letsvan that have begun getting attention as an alternative to Labubus. In case you don't know, Wakukus are monsters in various animal-themed outfits, such as foxes and rabbits. They come in different colours and styles. Some come with accessories like hats.

In fact, you may have seen some TikTok users post Wakuku unboxing videos online. 

FYI, Wakukus are sold by Chinese retailer Miniso and have become one of the company’s popular products. 

However, make no mistake, Labubus are still the hot, trendy toy. In the first half of 2025, Labubu sales reportedly rose globally by more than 660 percent year over year to 4.81 billion yuan.

And of course, that represents a downside because it means everyone wants one – and so, they can be really hard to find. 

The seventh-seeded Sivasangari Subramaniam’s run at the Qatar Classic Squash 2025 came to an end in the quarter-finals after she was defeated by Hania El Hammamy on Wednesday. 

The Malaysian fell 7-11, 8-11, 6-11 to the second seeded Egyptian in Doha.

Meet Mini Labubu

Pop Mart aren’t just selling toys, they're curating a full-blown global style phenomenon. And at the centre of it all is one mischievous, toothy superstar: Labubu. 

The “ugly-cute” creature from Hong Kong artist and illustrator Kasing Lung’s The Monsters series has transcended the toy shelf to become a bona fide fashion accessory, spotted dangling from handbags, backpacks, and now, thanks to Pop Mart’s latest move, clipped to your phone. 

Yes, the cult favourite just went mini, and it is now available. Along with a new long-fur version. 

In fact, Pop Mart's new mini Labubu dolls sold out instantly across China's online channels on launch day, August 28, 2025, following a surge in demand for the popular blind-box toy. This rapid sell-out included both standard and premium versions.

For sure, if you’ve been anywhere near Instagram, you’ve probably seen Labubu’s wide-eyed grin peeking out from a celebrity bag. Rihanna has one. So too, Dua Lipa. And Cardi B and David Beckham. And many, many others. 

Originally a playful handbag charm, Labubu has already achieved sold-out status worldwide, with collectors hunting down rare editions like they’re Hermès Birkins. The mini phone version? Consider it the micro-bag trend’s quirky little cousin. 

Pop Mart’s rise reads like a masterclass in building cult appeal. Their revenue more than doubled in 2024 to 13.04 billion yuan (RM7.7 billion), thanks in part to their elvish monster. In fact, revenue from Pop Mart’s plush toys soared more than 1,200% in 2024, nearly 22% of their overall revenue, according to the company’s annual report. 

Earlier last week, Pop Mart reported that their profit attributable to shareholders skyrocketed almost 400% for the first six months of the year. Revenue jumped more than 200% to 13.88 billion yuan (RM8.17 billion). Revenue for the Asia Pacific region surged more than 250%, while revenue for the Americas soared more than 1,000%. 

It's more than just toy-market success, it's also fashion-world clout. 

It is attested that the secret is the blind-box culture. When you buy a mystery pack without knowing which character you will get, a thrill that fuels collecting, trading, and, let’s be honest, a little obsession. It’s the same psychology that drives sneaker drops or luxury drops or luxury capsule collections: scarcity, surprise, and status. 

But Pop Mart are not content to stop there! They’re plotting rapid store openings in the US, eyeing emerging markets in the Middle East, Central Europe, and Latin America, and even hinting at a Disney-esque future, think animated films and theme park attractions. 

And if all of these sound ambitious, remember: this all started with a 6-inch grinning monster in a box. 

Labubu is no longer just a toy. It’s a conversation starter, a cultural badge, a tiny piece of joy you can carry with you. And in a world where fashion is as much about storytelling as it is about style, Pop Mart’s pint-sized icon proves that sometimes the biggest statement comes in the smallest (and toothiest) package.

Thieves Are Now Targeting Labubus

It's only a matter of time! The great Labubu caper! 

Thieves ransacked a La Puente (a city in east Los Angeles County, California, United States) store, and the owner is sure they were aiming just for the Labubus. 

As reported by Lolita Lopez for the NBC4 News on Thursday, August 07, 2025:

Creepy-cute toothy rodent–human chimeras have become super present in Los Angeles shopping areas. For sale in many gas stations, convenience markets, and tourist traps, the Labubus have certainly hit the big time, now with crime. 

Celtic made it two wins from two at the start of their Scottish Premiership title defence on Sunday with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Aberdeen. 

Benjamin Nygren turned in a cross in the 27th minute from Kieran Tierney to steady the champs who had been under earlier pressure from the Dons. And the latter's challenge fizzled out, with Reo Hatate curling in a magnificent strike in the sixty-sixth minute to seal victory for Celtic.

And on the same day too, Crystal Palace beat Liverpool 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to win the Community Shield for the first time. The former's goalkeeper was the shootout hero as he saved from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, while Mohamed Salah sent his kick over the bar.

Still, it was an exciting season opener and four of Liverpool's five major summer signings started. Florian Wirtz, Liverpool's £116m record signing, fed Hugo Ekitike on the edge of the box and the French striker turned and struck a low right-foot shot into the far bottom right corner in just the fourth minute. The Eagles equalised thirteen minutes later, thanks to an off-color Virgil van Dijk who gave away a penalty. 

Another Liverpool newcomer, Jeremie Frimpong scored an excellent goal in the twenty-first minute, which put his side back in the lead – only for Palace to level the score in the 77th minute.

Sure, new signings show quality but defensive frailties dogged the Reds. In any case, this loss means they have spurned the chance to lay down an immediate marker at the start of the new season.

Labubu Meets Lafufu

Pop Mart, the Chinese toy company behind this year's essential toy for kids and grown-ups alike, are going after a US retailer selling knockoffs. A case of Labubu meets Lafufu.

Labubu is a character created by artist Kasing Lung, but Lafufu is a fake version of the real Labubu. Authentic Labubu figures have specific characteristics like a soft peach-colored face, a shiny line around the pupils, and a smooth, even fur texture. Lafufu fakes often have noticeable flaws like unnatural face colors, patchy or rough fur, and messy paint.  

The 7-Eleven counterfeit products dubbed “Lafufus” are mostly, if not all, of poor quality and unsightly. This includes, but is not limited to, the counterfeit products having (1) eyes that have popped out or are poorly secured, creating a disturbing and also unsafe product; (2) substandard fur stitching with loose threads and uneven seams; (3) deformed, lopsided head shapes; (4) heads or hands that come off; and even (5) upside down faces. 

As per the lawsuit filed on July 18, 2025 in a California district court, alleging trademark infringement and the sale of counterfeit Labubu toys:

From the lawsuit. Spot the difference!

Lady Gaga Finds the Perfect Labubu For Her Hermès Bag

Lady Gaga has also caught the Labubu fever! 

And she has a special black and red Labubu, said to be modeled after Mother Monster herself, naturally. According to the fan account La Maison Gaga, the custom gothic-glam Labubu was designed by the Los Angeles-based artist Marko Monroe, and features the little creature in a DIY’d ruffled red outfit that is reminiscent of the one Gaga wears in the “Abracadabra” music video. 

Whether Gaga (left) commissioned the Labubu or it was gifted to her remains a mystery, but one thing is for sure: The resemblance is uncanny. (Well, as much as one can resemble a spooky looking creature).

Anyway, she was spotted out and about in Malibu in California, USA on Sunday with a custom Labubu adorning her sleek black Hermès Kelly bag, according to Vogue. 

The Most Expensive Labubu in the World Just Sold on eBay

A rare Labubu sold two weeks ago for a record-breaking $10,500 on eBay, making it the most expensive of the viral ugly-cute toys on the platform. 

The grey-brownish doll is rocking Vans streetwear – including sneakers designed by the popular skater brand, a Vans sweatshirt and a blue and orange hat reading “The Monsters” – the series of Labubu characters it belongs to. 

This little skater monster initially came out back in 2023 as one of Pop Mart’s wildly popular blind boxes, as a collaboration between the shoe brand and Labubu. 

Its original retail price was $85, meaning its resale value was 125 times more. Labubu has become a hot commodity on secondary markets, and experts have told Forbes they can make legitimate investments, driven by Pop Mart’s limited supply model. 

“Their unique look and general appeal will make them a strong market collectible for years to come”, predicted Lori Verderame, a collectible appraiser with her own show on the History Channel. 

Alex Fung, pop culture consignment director at Goldin Auctions, said he thinks the early Labubus are the ones that will best hold their value. 

Pop Mart typically sells Labubus for $20 to $40 in “blind boxes” – meaning buyers doesn’t know which one they’ll get until they open it. But it’s the so-called “secret” Labubus – the limited editions with odds of getting one in a blind box as slim as 1 in 72 or even 1 in 144 – that are flipping for thousands on resale sites. 

Another example is the pink “secret” edition of the “Catch me if you like me” doll, released in limited numbers in early 2024, which recently sold for $2,000 on eBay. 

Labubus sell out instantly during their weekly drops – with in-person restocking at their stores at 10:00 AM Friday, and online at 9:00 PM Thursday. People have lined up before dawn, describing release day as “Labubu Hunger Games” in the UK, with Labubus sometimes pulled from stores over chaos and fighting. 

Meet Mirumi

If you think everyone's favorite toy Labubu is charming comeliness, then you must also meet Mirumi! 

I'll even admit, after watching the video below, that Mirumi has become the #1 thing on my wishlist. 

The palm-sized Mirumi from Yukai Engineering looks like a friendly Yeti, who bashfully clings onto your arm, bag, or wherever you decide to place it. 

Mirumi has been described as a "communication creature". When someone walks by – or you jostle it – it swivels its big googly eyes toward the source of motion. If you reach out to touch it? It hides. Or shakes its head "no". 

Or does nothing. Because it's shy. And maybe a little moody. 

The Tokyo, Japan-based robotics start-up's CEO Shunsuke Aoki (right) shares: “People often find great joy in sharing their own happiness with others. Mirumi is a robot that enables you to do just that. Whether you’re riding a crowded train or standing in line at the cashier, your Mirumi will always find a way to reach into people’s hearts with its innocent gaze, prompting the person to wave at the robot or make a funny face in response".  

Even better, methinks the said robot can even serve as an excellent emotional support plaything.

The idea for Mirumi was born out of Yukai Engineering’s internal Make-a-Thon in 2024, during which a team of staff engineers and designers proposed to create a robotic “yokai” (supernatural being) like creature with the characteristics of a human baby. 

The company plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign for the product in mid-2025. 

Between you and me, I love the idea of a fuzzy toy that can interact with you when you're out in public. And there's nothing wrong in recognizing that I'll need Mirumi's level of cuteness in my daily life.

Ancient Bronze Artifact Resembles Labubu

A post about an artifact at China's Luoyang Museum in Luoyang, Henan Province, has gone viral on Xiaohongshu, amassing ten thousands likes and replies. 

The buzz surrounds a 2,000-year-old Eastern Zhou bronze artifact that bears a striking resemblance to the popular Labubu collectible figure. 

Staff from the museum’s exhibition department confirmed on June 17, 2025, that the artifact, known as a “Bronze Danglu”, is part of a collection held by the Luoyang Archaeological Research Institute and is currently exhibited on the second floor of the said museum, where it will remain until August. 

The term “Danglu” refers to a ceremonial vessel used by ancient nobles to demonstrate their power and status, further adding to the cultural importance of this historical piece.

Many visitors are now flocking to see the artifact in person, with some even bringing their Labubu figures for comparison photos! 😂😂😂

On Monday, Moscow and Kiev completed a series of exchanges of the remains of fallen soldiers. Russia returned the remains 6,060 Ukrainian soldiers, many from the Kursk campaign, while Ukraine handed over 78. The Russian Defense Ministry said they held an additional 1,248 bodies that they were prepared to hand over to Kiev.

Labubu Fan Fury in UK

In the UK, fans of the viral Labubu dolls expressed outrage after Pop Mart suspended sales across their sixteen stores following reports of physical altercations and frenzied scrambles for the collectables. 

The maker of the monster bag charms confirmed on Tuesday they would halt in-store sales of the plush toys until June, citing a need to “prevent any potential safety issues” as demand spirals. 

The soft toys became a TikTok trend after being worn by celebrities like Rihanna and Dua Lipa. Now some retail "experts" are warning the stop on stock will only heighten demand. 

Pop Mart’s pause on physical sales underscores the challenges of managing hype-driven retail phenomena. Analysts suggest the company may explore stricter purchase limits or digital queues for high-demand drops. 

For now, Pop Mart have directed customers to their online platform and Discord channel for updates. And they announced they were working on a fairer system for when the toys return to their shelves. 

Tales of the unexpected still exist in Scottish football after all. On Saturday, Aberdeen won 4-3 on penalties and denied Celtic a domestic treble at Hampden Park. 

That means Aberdeen had lifted the Scottish Cup after a 35-year wait! 

Truth be told, it was a horrendously sloppy Celtic performance. The Dons centre-back's own goal just before half-time had the Scottish champions and favorites ahead and apparently in control. But a resolute Aberdeen hung in and were rewarded seven minutes from the end of normal time when their sub's teasing cross was inexplicably diverted into his own net by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. 

The 1-1 draw opened the door for a scarcely unimaginable outcome and Aberdeen would seize upon their big moment with a dramatic penalty shootout victory. The Dons scored every one of their penalties. Meanwhile, Callum McGregor and Alistair Johnston erred. 

Celtic won the league title, won the League Cup, but sadly, they just couldn't go that next step.

China’s Box Office Demon Child is Now King of Merch

The huge demand for products related to the hit Chinese animated movie is proving a boon for China’s e-commerce, manufacturing, and tourism sectors. From toothpaste to toys, picture books to clothes, and even milk products and designer bags, the global success of China’s animated box-office smash “Ne Zha 2” has sparked a nationwide frenzy for merchandise. 

Scrambling to meet the surge in demand, manufacturers, toy stores, and tourism departments across China are racing to capitalize on the movie’s popularity.

Alibaba's merchandise sales have already surpassed 300 million yuan ($41.187 million) on their online shopping platforms, Taobao and Tmall.

Indeed, more than two million people have purchased Ne Zha-related merchandise on Taobao, according to the platform's data. Of the 300 million yuan in sales, blind boxes, figurines, trading cards and other trendy collectibles accounted for over 200 million yuan. 

Pop Mart's "Ne Zha 2: Born Bonded" blind-box series has already sold over 100,000 units, with pre-orders now scheduled for delivery by June 30. Those unwilling to wait are turning to the secondhand market, of course. Pop Mart’s blind boxes were originally priced at 69 yuan but are selling for up to 350 yuan on resale platforms like Xianyu. 

Toothpaste brand Mompick saw a 383% increase in sales within just seven days of releasing its co-branded offering, while dairy company Mengniu generated 5 million yuan in sales within 10 days of the movie’s release with three milk products featuring the character, according to e-commerce platform JD.com. 

Even tourism departments are taking every opportunity to promote their local connection with the legend of Ne Zha, who first appeared in the 16th-century novel “Investiture of the Gods”. From February 01 to 07, searches on Alibaba’s online travel platform Fliggy for Jiangyou in the southwestern Sichuan province – one of a number of cities around the country that claims to be the birthplace of the boy demon – surged by 453%. Sichuan’s Luzhou, the hometown of “Ne Zha 2” director Yang Yu, has also been receiving widespread attention. 

“This intellectual property (IP) has created an unexpected level of enthusiasm”, Wei Pengju, director of the Cultural Economics Research Institute at Central University of Finance and Economics, said in an interview with Sixth Tone. “I think it’s even taken the producers of Ne Zha 2 by surprise”. 

On January 29, toy brand FunCrazy, which creates licensed Ne Zha 2 products, launched a crowdfunding project for a range of related products, a common tactic by peripheral product manufacturers to gauge market expectations. As of Tuesday, the campaign had raised 32 million yuan, over 300 times the initial target. The products include acrylic illustrations for 35 yuan, figurines priced at 198 yuan each, and a six-armed Ne Zha figure for 468 yuan.

The Ne Zha excitement is not expected to slow down anytime soon.

From Labubu to Ne Zha: Toy Craze Powers Pop Mart’s Market-beating Stock Rally

Fresh from their success with Labubu, Pop Mart International are on another hot streak in intellectual property (IP) merchandising as consumers snap up their toys based on China’s highest-grossing Ne Zha 2, leading US investment bank Morgan Stanley to name the stock among their top picks. 

Pop Mart’s Ne Zha toys sold out days after their release on January 30 as the animation blockbuster grossed more than $1.152 billion and on Monday entered the top 30 global box office chart as the only non-Hollywood film. And also the first non-Hollywood film to enter the Top 10 of the global animation box office list. [Refer my February 09, 2025 post "Ne Zha 2 Box Office Surpasses $1B in China Alone"]. 

The frenzy is a repeat of Pop Mart’s success in capitalising on their Labubu toys, a toothy but adorable elfin beloved by millions of Asian fans. [Refer my December 26, 2024 post "Labubu, The Must-have Made-In-China Toy"]. 

The formula helped propel their sales outside mainland China and fan a 350 percent rally in their stock in Hong Kong last year. 

“We expect Pop Mart to become one of the go-to partners for global major IP owners that intend to monetise and extend IP popularity through IP toys”, Morgan Stanley analysts including Dustin Wei and Carol Xia wrote in a report. Their success underlines their influence in the IP strategy, they said. 

Third-party IPs like Ne Zha only counted for 15 to 20 percent of Pop Mart’s revenue, but they helped the brand gain new customers effectively, the analysts added. 

Morgan Stanley expect a strong upgrade in the company’s earnings this year, after they jumped 70 percent from a year earlier to 3 billion yuan in the first half of 2024, according to their stock exchange filing. Revenue from outside mainland China grew 260 percent to 13.5 billion yuan, or almost 30 percent of the total. 

Pop Mart’s Ne Zha toys are being sold on Xianyu, a second-hand goods trading platform, for as high as 180 yuan versus their retail price of 69 yuan. Pop Mart have adjusted their production schedules to meet demand for their toys, according to local media reports on Thursday. 

Labubu toys are also in short supply after a speculative fervor last year. But the prices have weakened as Pop Mart stepped up production to improve brand accessibility and fan experience. 

Labubu, The Must-have Made-In-China Toy

Who would ever imagine that the hottest toy in Asia this year is a quirky, rubber-coated plush character with a mischievous grin, serrated teeth and pointy ears like that of a rabbit? 

 

And it's made in China.

 

 

Labubu, created by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung – who was said to be inspired by Nordic fairy tales – and made by Pop Mart, China’s leading retailer of figurines and collectibles, has captured the hearts of fans across the continent with its unusual and eye-catching design. 

 

Pop Mart, the “largest and fastest-growing enterprise in the trendy toy industry” according to a Guosen Securities report released at the end of last month, have witnessed double-digit sales growth in China and triple-digit growth in international markets in the past year.

 

Labubu and other mystery collectibles, often kept in sealed packaging known as "blind boxes", which adds to the excitement of each purchase, are helping to reshape the global perception of “made in China” products. Instead of being seen as cheap, mass-produced items, the toys are gaining global recognition for their unique designs, brand power, and their ability to tap into emerging consumer trends.

 

At a Pop Mart store in Shanghai’s Xuhui district, one customer said she had finally managed to buy a Labubu set after months of waiting. 

 

“I could never get one when the stock was replenished online because so many people rushed to buy at the same time”, she said. “Today, I finally got one at an official store, and I’m so happy!” 

 

When asked why she loved the toy, the young woman said: “I love the design; I feel happy when looking at it”. 

 

Already, demand for Labubu, the flagship toy in Pop Mart’s collection, is surging and has outstripped supply in China. But more than that, it has also become a sensation in the rest of Asia.

 

In April, Blackpink's Lisa (right), the 27-year-old Thai, whose full name is Lalisa Manobal, posted a photo of herself online cuddling a Labubu doll that also showcased a Labubu keychain on her bag. That massively swelled the toy’s popularity in Thailand that quickly spread to Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and beyond. 

 

Malaysian social media influencer and entrepreneur 19-year-old Soffea Dini Zulkifly is a firm fan of Labubu and is willing to spend tens of thousands of ringgit on the collectible item, and she even travelled abroad to buy the cute doll for her collection. 

 

Soffea Dini (above pic) said the Labubu doll is different from her other doll collections as it can be used as a bag accessory, making it a fashion item. Her collection of more than 50 Labubu dolls were mostly purchased at Pop Mart in Bangkok, Thailand, with their prices ranging from RM120 to over RM900 each.

 

Another influencer, 30-year-old Mia Azahar (left), who is known for her toy collection and makeup content and has 2.2 million followers on TikTok, is also a Labubu collector. She said Labubu started trending on social media after K-pop celebrity Lisa shared her doll collection with her followers. 

 

"Honestly, Labubu isn’t that cute but it’s the in-thing now. Wherever you go, it's already sold out, and those who manage to get stock resell it at a higher price. For example, the original price is only around RM120 per doll but it can go up to RM200. There’s a sense of satisfaction when you acquire a Labubu doll, like ‘I’ve got it now'!" 

 

In fact, the proliferation of fake Labubus has also made the process of procuring one even more fraught, and driven up prices on the resell market.

 

Dr Shilpa Madan (right), assistant professor of marketing at Singapore Management University, tells the Straits Times that cute things activate primal instincts within human beings. 

 

“Cuteness elicits nurturing emotions and protective instincts. That’s why some people have whole collections. Each character can feel like a part of the family”, she says.

 

Humans have an inherent tendency to attribute human-like characteristics to non-human entities, a phenomenon known as anthropomorphism, she adds. 

 

“People seek connections with anthropomorphised products because they can provide a sense of companionship. Research shows that after a rough day, turning to a familiar, smiling character can feel comforting, almost like having a buddy around”, she maintains.