Labubu: The Ultimate Guide to the Hottest Collectible in 2025
What is Labubu?!
It’s the hottest collectible toy in 2025 but it’s actually been around since 2015 but got really popular starting in late 2024.
In this guide you’ll get to know everything about our beloved main character Labubu and her friends.
2 Quick Videos on What is Labubu
What Is Labubu?
Labubu started off in a picture book series called The Monsters, created back in 2015 by an artist from Hong Kong named Kasing Lung.
These stories were inspired by Nordic mythology and introduced a fun, fantasy world filled with strange, cute creatures.
Labubu is the main character and quickly became one of the stars.
Labubu looks like a tiny elf with pointy ears and a big mischievous grin filled with sharp, jagged teeth.
She always tries to help others, even though things don’t always go as planned.
Labubu isn’t just one creature.
She’s part of a whole tribe of magical elf-like monsters.
They live in a fantasy forest and love to play harmless pranks and they’re full of energy and always up to something silly.
Each monster has a devilish smile, pointy ears, and soft fur.
She’s also small, about the size of a house cat.
All Labubus are female, but the tribe is led by a male named Zimomo and he’s taller and has a spiky tail.
What is Labubu – Ultimate Guide
How Labubu Got Popular
Labubu started to get popular in Asia around 2019 when the creator, Kasing Lung partnered with PopMart.
And then in 2024, Labubu got really popular worldwide including America after one of the Korean pop stars in Blackpink, Lisa was spotted carrying a Labubu keychain on her purse.
In July 2024, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Pop Mart worked together and hosted a 4 day of “Welcome Ceremony of Labubu” to promote tourism in Thailand.
As of May 2025, according to Google Trends, there are over 4 million people searching on Google about Labubu and that has increased to over 10 million by Aug. 2025!
StockX also went from selling 100 sales in 2023 to over 1,000 sales daily in 2025!
The tipping point came when Lisa from BLACKPINK posted herself hugging a Labubu plush.
Now celebrities like Dua Lipa and Rihanna all have one and some of these Labubu cost the same as luxury goods.
Rihanna below with her Labubu attached to her bag.
Dua Lipa spotted with her Labubu
Even Madonna had 2 Labubu’s around her as she celebrated Mother’s Day 2025 with her kids.
Even Some Men Are Collecting Labubu!
Even some men are collecting these dolls!
The British Rapper, Central Cee recently pulled up in 6 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters and purchased everyone in stock in the United Kingdom.
One of the reason for their popularity among men is the rising popularity of men’s designer bags. Labubus offer a fun way to add personality into a bag.
It’s even spread to NBA players. Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets came dressed to his playoff game against the Warriors in May 2025 with a Labubu attached to his man bag.
What is the Labubu Buying Frenzy?!
It’s almost impossible to buy Labubus during the online drops and even harder to get one in person.
Even the China tariffs can’t stop Labubu. The price has gone up from $22 to $28 but they still sell out in seconds.
Chinese custom authorities have also repeatedly stopped suspected smugglers of Labubu as the prices have soared worldwide
On Friday, April 25, 2025, some fans got up to line up at 5am at the Pop Mart store in Los Angeles only to find out that some people had camped out overnight already and those who got there in the morning arrived too late and return empty handed.
Here’s a glimpse of the Labubu craze!
Unfortunately in the United Kingdom, there were so many people lined up in May 2025 to buy these dolls that Pop Mart had to pause Labubu store sales because of safety and security concerns
Labubu has been so hot in summer of 2025 that if you can’t buy one in the United Kingdom, you can rent one for £3 a day!
So what is actually Labubu?!
Labubu Song
Labubu even has her own songs!
This is the song by Coke Duck.
The Creator Behind Labubu
Kasing Lung was born in Hong Kong but grew up in the Netherlands and his style mixes folklore, fairy tales, and cute monsters.
In this video he shares his vision behind Labubu.
He started as a book illustrator and in 2015, he launched a storybook series called The Monsters.
By 2019, he partnered with Pop Mart to turn his drawings into real toys and that’s when Labubu really took off.
What is Labubu Family
There’s more than 1 character.
They’re a whole group of similar characters with different looks and stories.
Labubu
Labubu is the main character and how everything all started
Here are some of the most popular and common characters:
Zimomo
Zimomo is the leader of the Labubu tribe
Mokoko
Mokoko is pink and has long eyelashes and heart shaped nose
Tycoco
Tycoco is the spooky little skeleton with a soft and gentle personality.
Spooky
Spooky is quiet and full of curiosity and is the most mysterious character.
Yaya
Yaya is the boldest character and is the most mischievous.
Pippo
Pippo is always having fun and the life of the party!
Vos
Vos is quiet and mysterious because he always looks like he knows something that the others don’t know!
Pato
Pato is lesser known and he always looks sleepy and dreaming.
Each character adds something fun to the world of The Monsters.
Why Did Labubu Get So Popular?
That one post changed everything.
Fans saw Lisa from the K Pop Group, Blackping using Labubu as a bag charm. Then it spread fast!!!
Suddenly, Labubu was more than just a toy and it became a fashion statement.
Before you know it, bandmate Rosé joined in and K-pop fans followed.
In Thailand, it got so big that the government even used Labubu for tourism campaigns.
A life-size mascot visited temples and landmarks.
What is Labubu Blind Boxes
Another reason Labubu is so popular is because of blind boxes.
If you’re lucky to buy a box, that you have no idea WHO you’re actually getting.
Blind boxes is something Pop Mart copied from the sports card industry where you open a pack and have no idea who you’ll going to pull.
It makes buy sportscards more fun and exciting especially if you know you have a chance to pull a special autographed card that could be worth over thousands of dollars. In fact, in 2021, someone pulled an special 1 of 1 limited editor (only 1 made) Lebron James autographed patch card and it sold for $2.4 million.
The same marketing strategy is working for Labubu!
A lot of fans do unboxing videos on Youtube and they’re extremely popular.
Secret Character
There are also secret characters in each drop so it makes it even more exciting.
Not only do you NOT know who’ll get, you may also get a chance to get one of the secret characters!
What Kind of Labubu Accessories and Products Are Out There?
There are over 300 versions of Labubu. Each one has a different costume, color, or expression.
You’ll find her as:
- Vinyl figures
- Plush dolls
- Keychains
- Acrylic stands
- Giant display statues
- Even branded clothing and accessories
One fan-favorite is the Have a Seat series.
These plushies are in a sitting pose with cute facial expressions and soft pastel fur.
Some plush versions now come with a hidden symbol on their foot. Shine a black light, and you’ll see a secret Labubu mark to prove it’s real.
Labubu Accessories
There are also all types of Labubu accessories and other products.
They even have Labubu Candy!
It’s Not Easy to Buy One
Labubu drops are intense. They sell out in seconds.
On Pop Mart’s website, most listings show “sold out” and in-store releases often have long lines before the doors even open.
People camp overnight just to buy one and some collectors compare the hype to getting Taylor Swift concert tickets.
On eBay and resale sites, rare versions go for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Watch Out for Fake Labubu
With the popularity comes counterfeits and there are a lot of fake stuff online.
Some are easy to spot while others look almost real.
There are 10 ways to spot a fake Labubu for including the packaging, QR codes, etc.
Every real Pop Mart product should have a Pop Mart logo.
If your plush is from a newer series, check the foot with a black light.
The secret symbol helps prove it’s authentic.
Thailand’s police even arrested scammers who stole over $60,000 in fake preorders. The Thai government in April 2024 had to release an official warning about fraud.
