Kevin Duong bought his first Labubu in January 2025 with his boyfriend -- before most Americans had heard of the doll. He remembers the exhilarating feeling of them each opening a "blind box," a mystery toy package in which the specific design is unknown until opened. Duong and his boyfriend each got exactly what they wanted.
Chuck E. Cheese launches new arcade concept for adults"I pulled the pink and he pulled the purple, and we just had that rush of yelling, screaming and all of that," said Duong, a 23-year-old YouTuber. "It's a nice little bonding, too, that we got closer."
Six months later, Labubu has blown up everywhere. From long lines wrapping around malls to fights breaking out in Pop Mart stores, the little monster doll with a toothy grin -- specifically marketed for adults -- has taken the world by storm.
"You have a lot of people on TikTok do blind box opening events," said Markus Maciel, associate professor of toy design at Otis College. "It's kind of like Pokemon where you get your cards, you're not sure where you're gonna get. These blind box motions help inspire people to keep wanting to collect and collect and collect."
Besides the blind box phenomenon that has hooked global consumers, the success of Labubu is also largely driven by celebrity endorsement. K-pop group BLACKPINK member Lisa explained her Labubu obsession in a Vanity Fair interview in November, becoming one of the first celebrities to showcase the doll in the United States.
Since then, many celebrities have publicly engaged with Labubu. Brad Pitt and his fellow "F1" castmates opened Labubu blind boxes during a Warner Bros. interview. Sarah Jessica Parker learned about it during a "Call Her Daddy" episode. Cher was seen draping one off her handbag at the Tribeca Film Festival in June.
"I went from thinking this was the most stupid thing I've ever seen to thinking this is the most brilliant thing," reality TV star Bethenny Frankel admitted in a TikTok post, showing off her Labubu as a bag charm for her "Firkins," or fake Birkin bags.
Stars such as Emma Roberts, Tom Brady and Lizzo have also shown their love for the doll on social media.
"A lot of stars are taking part in it and actually showcasing [Pop Mart's] product lines," said Maciel. "And that's a huge shift. Once you have somebody that you admire, and they are just showing a product that you may or may not know much about, you're going to [know] now."
Created by Hong Kong-born Belgian artist Kasing Lung as part of the picture book series "The Monsters," Labubu is based on figures from Nordic mythology. In 2019, the "monsters" were transformed by Chinese designer toy company Pop Mart into a collectible that eventually unlocked a global mania.
Supershrink it! McDonald's launching mini Happy Meal toysThe global obsession for Labubu has made Pop Mart a billion-dollar business. The company's revenue doubled in 2024, reaching $1.8 billion, according to Pop Mart's annual financial report. While the doll retails for about $30, they can go for hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars on the resale market.
According to Emily Brough, head of licensing at Pop Mart, "recent Labubu drops have sold out within minutes -- both online and in-store." Experienced collectors like Kevy Oh, who describes himself as having "a PhD in Labubunomics," give detailed tutorials on how to get a Labubu on TikTok.
"I think a lot of us wanted [it] because it was getting so hard to obtain," said Duong, who has now spent over $1,000 on his Labubu collection. "I just wanted that rush of getting it, and I think the journey and the obstacles of getting the Labubu really made it even more enjoyable."
For Duong, the appeal of Labubu is more than its scarcity or collectibility. Like many adult consumers, Duong seeks nostalgia and comfort in the bug-eyed doll.
Aaliyah joins Barbie's Music Collector Series with stunning new doll"I had a really good childhood where toys were a big part of my life," said Duong. "Being an adult is very stressful and overwhelming at times, but having just a little part of my life where I can just sit down, open a blind box or look at my toys and be happy about it, it's really good to not overthink about life."
