PHOTO COURTESY OF POP MART
If you’ve been wondering what a Labubu is and why it is famous, then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a quick guide to all things Labubu, including everything you need to know about the coveted Macaron and Have A Seat charms.
01 - For Labubu, it all began in 2015 when illustrator Kasing Lung created the story series The Monsters. Strongly influenced by Nordic mythology, the monster tribe includes Zimomo, Tycoco, Spooky, Pato and of course, Labubu. The last quickly gained tremendous popularity, even more so after Blackpink’s Lisa accessorised her bags with them.
02 - So, what exactly is Labubu? Labubu is an elf character and according to the original books, actually a girl. She features high, pointed ears, has nine serrated teeth and doesn’t have a tail. She also dons a mischievous and kooky expression. To date, Labubu has been released in more than 300 colours, shapes and sizes.
03 - In 2019, Kasing Lung entered into an exclusive license agreement with toy company Pop Mart. If you didn’t know, Pop Mart’s claim to fame are their collectible toys, often in a blind box format. In other words, a type of sealed packaging that keeps its contents a mystery until you purchase and open it.
04 - This brings us to the covetable Labubu plush pendants that more popularly now find themselves as bag charms. There are currently two versions to choose from. The first, The Monsters - Tasty Macarons Vinyl Face Blind Box, is more commonly referred to as version one or V1.
05 - First launched in October 2023, these Labubu charms come in a standing position with adjustable heads, arms and feet. Measuring 8 cm by 17 cm by 7 cm, they come fitted with a gold-tone ring clasp for easy accessorising.
06 - The fluffy delights are sold in blind boxes. Each Labubu comes with a cute dessert-inspired name that reflects its colour. You have a 1:6 chance of finding ‘regular’ figures like Soymilk, Lychee Berry, Green Grape, Sea Salt Coconut, Toffee and Sesame Bean with a matching nose colour. Whereas the probability of drawing the rare ‘secret’ item, Chestnut Cocoa (with a red nose), is 1:72.
PHOTO COURTESY OF POP MART
07 - Next, there’s version two or V2, which comprise The Monsters – Have A Seat Vinyl Plush Blind Box. As the name suggests, these Labubu charms that recently launched in July 2024 come in a seated position. They measure 15 cm by 8 cm by 7 cm.
08 - While their heads, arms and feet are similarly posable, there are a few differences worth noting. Firstly, they feature a softer and furrier material. The ring clasps and tags also now come in tonal hues to match the colour of the dolls. Lastly, they feature a mix of three expressions: eyes open, blinking and eyes closed.
09 - These too are available for purchase in blind boxes, with six ‘regular’ editions and a ‘secret’ edition. The former comprise SiSi (yellow), HeHe (grey), BaBa (light brown), ZiZi (purple), QuWu (green) and DaDa (pink). Finally, the ‘secret’ DuoDuo comes in brown, with a red nose and an extra twinkle in her eyes.
10 - The catch is that they sell out the moment they hit the shelves. But if you can get your hands on them, individual blind boxes retail at SGD24.90 at Pop Mart. If not, purchase yours from a reputable source to save yourself from any heartache.
For more information, do visit POPMART.sg
PHOTOS COURTESY OF POP MART
