The Labubu craze has found a new home, as hundreds of people lined up to get the eerie ugly dolls at Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's first store in Berlin.
The demand for Labubus has stayed intact despite trade tensions between China and USImage: Tobias Schwarz/AFP
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The fluffy toy with the toothy grin and pointed ears, called Labubu, arrived in Germany on Friday with Chinese toymaker Pop Mart opening its first physical store in the country.
The eerie plush doll that has swept the internet appeared to be at home, as China's Pop Mart opened its first store in Berlin, a city known for its edgy and energetic style.
People traveled from across the country to get their hands on the original Labubu dollImage: Tobias Schwarz/AFP
Hundreds of people waited in line, including with camping chairs, with one even working on her computer, according to DW's business reporter, Marie Sina.
"I'll wait till I get one," said one person waiting in line who spoke with Sina. She had a fake version of the toy, Lafufu, at home, and she wanted an original doll.
Lafufus gained popularity because of a shortage of original toys. China last month warned that the counterfeit Lafufu toys could pose a choking hazard for children.
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What is the hype with Labubus?
A big reason for the popularity of the eerie little monster toys is that they are packaged inside boxes and people buying them only learn about their character when they open the boxes.
The surprise element adds to the mystery and creates more hype, and people are willing to put more money to get the doll they want.
By now, there are more than 2.4 million #Labubu TikTok posts and counting. Even Brad Pitt and the cast of "F1 The Movie" filmed a TikTok unwrapping the boxes.
DW's Sina says many people waiting in line in Berlin earlier today were influencers and journalists, with Gen Z and millennial age groups also present at the opening.
Labubu toys set out to take Germany by storm
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How did Labubu get so big?
Labubu, by artist and illustrator Kasing Lung, first appeared a decade ago in three picture books inspired by Nordic mythology in 2015.
In 2019, Lung struck a deal with Pop Mart, the Beijing-based company that caters to toy connoisseurs, to sell Labubu figurines.
In 2023, Pop Mart began selling the plush toys on key rings and the phenomenon blew up overseas.
K-pop singer Lisa of Blackpink talked about her passion for the toy on Instagram where she has more than 100 million followers, fueling the hype.
Celebrities like Rihanna and Dua Lipa have been spotted with the toys attached to their handbags.
How much money did Labubus make?
Pop Mart's revenue more than doubled in 2024 to 13.04 billion yuan ($1.81 billion, €1.55 billion), thanks in part to the wild explosion in popularity of Labubus.
Revenue from Pop Marts' plush toys soared more than 1,200% in 2024, nearly 22% of its overall revenue, according to the company's annual report.
Labubus: The cute-creepy soft toys that went viral
Everywhere you look, adults are hanging quirky toys from their handbags: Labubus are this summer's TikTok and Instagram trend. But what's the story behind these fluffy and fanged imports from China?
Image: Angelina Katsanis/AFP/Getty Images
What are Labubus?
With their huge eyes, protruding ears, nasty grin, and sharp teeth, Labubus are a strange mix of cute and creepy. They have been cult favorites in China for quite some time, and now the trend has reached Germany and elsewhere. Influencers are fueling the hype by filming themselves unpacking the mysterious "blind boxes"
Image: VCG/IMAGO
Plush monsters as a fashion highlight?
These trendy little creatures have only become known in Europe this year. Labubus appear in thousands of videos on TikTok and Instagram. They are a favorite handbag accessory and have even been spotted at fashion shows, making them the new “it” item. Although the grinning creatures are often assumed to be children's toys, the manufacturer recommends them for ages 15 and up.
Image: diebildwerft/IMAGO
The man behind the Labubu hype
Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung designed the creature — a "monster elf" from his picture book series "The Monsters", inspired by Norse mythology. In 2019, he signed a licensing agreement with Chinese pop culture company Pop Mart. Since then, business has been booming for the toy retailer, which was founded in 2010 – not least thanks to the growing popularity of the plush monsters.
Image: Jonathan Wong/SCMP/Newscom/IMAGO
Labubu fever worldwide
Customers in Bangkok are rushing to the shops in search of the coveted Labubus. The hype has spread around the globe. The toys are sold in so-called "blind boxes," where buyers only find out what toy they get when they unpack the box.
Image: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images
Celebrities make Labubus a cult phenomenon
The hype has also been fueled by celebrities, especially K-pop stars from the Korean music scene, who flaunt their Labubu figures on social media. International names like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and David Beckham have been spotted with a Labubu. The sought after toys have become cult — and are currently officially sold out in Europe.
Image: Yusheng/VCG/IMAGO
Fun comes at a price
The monsters are so popular that fans queue for hours or spend hundreds of euros on them. Rare specimens fetch prices of over €1,000 on eBay, while an oversized edition was auctioned in Hong Kong for more than $170,000. On the official Pop Mart website, they cost around 19 euros, while in China prices range from 66 yuan (around 7.90 euros) to 1,299 yuan (around 155 euros).
Image: STR/AFP/Getty Images
Berlin gets its first Pop Mart store
There are already around 400 Pop Mart stores in China, attracting numerous customers every day. On July 25, the first store in Germany will open in Berlin, where the coveted cuddly monsters will be officially available for the first time. This is likely to fuel the hype. For Pop Mart, it represents an important step toward conquering the European market.
Image: CFOTO/IMAGO
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The Chinese toymaker said earlier this month it expects at least a 350% profit and about a 200% jump in revenue for the first six months of the year.
Even though the vast majority of Pop Mart's revenue comes from Asia, global demand for Labubus has turned Pop Mart into a $40 billion company, according to Bloomberg.
This report was written with the help of material from Associated News press agency.
