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Labubu
The monstrous, toothy vinyl toy that became the world's most sought-after collectible in 2024 — and the defining blind box craze of the era.
A mischievous elf-like monster character with oversized eyes, pointy ears, and a wide grin showing sharp teeth. Designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, commercialized by Pop Mart as a blind box vinyl collectible. Became one of the defining collector crazes and fashion accessories of 2024.
History
Designed by Kasing Lung as part of his 'The Monsters' character series. Pop Mart licensed and mass-produced Labubu as a blind box collectible figure starting around 2019. Global demand exploded in mid-2024 when BLACKPINK member Lisa was photographed with a Labubu attached to her designer bag, triggering international interest.
Cultural scores
Editorial estimates of cultural weight — Current Popularity tracks how much people are posting about this now, not historical fame.
Current Popularity = how actively people are posting about this today. Influence = lasting footprint. Cringe = online reception. Brainrot = absurdist energy. Scores last reviewed 2026-07-25. How scoring works
Timeline
2019
Pop Mart begins producing Labubu from Kasing Lung's The Monsters series
Mid-2024
Lisa (BLACKPINK) is photographed with Labubu at a fashion event — global demand erupts immediately
2024
Labubu sells out worldwide within minutes of drops; resale market prices multiply several times over retail
2024
Celebrities and influencers worldwide adopt Labubu — it becomes a luxury and street-culture status symbol simultaneously
Examples
- “Waited in line for hours at Pop Mart for a Labubu drop and only got the common variant”
- “That Labubu keychain just sold for 10x retail on the resale market”
- “Labubu is officially our generation's Beanie Baby”
Media
Pop Mart Labubu retail display in NYC — blind-box / collectible shopping culture.
Retail Labubu storefront branding and plush displays — the collectible shopping phenomenon.
Related entries
Culturally linked — not random recommendations.
The Dupe Economy
EventThe cultural moment when buying dupes — knockoff luxury goods — became not just accepted but celebrated.
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Brat Summer
EventCharli XCX's lime-green album era that defined a chaotic, party-forward cultural movement in 2024.
Performative
TrendThe TikTok-era habit of adopting aesthetics, hobbies, and personalities because they look desirable online — not because they feel authentic offline.
Influencer Culture
TrendThe internet habit of treating followings as social power — lifestyle curation, parasocial fame, and the soft sell of everyday aspiration.
Unboxing Culture
TrendThe ritual of filming a package open — ASMR cardboard, haul energy, and product revelation as entertainment.
References
Sources behind this entry. Prefer primary reporting and established culture archives over rumor.
- Labubu — Wikipedia search
en.wikipedia.org