They may be cute, but don’t let their nine-tooth smiles fool you: Labubus are bringing in serious business.Created by artist Kasing Lung and sold by Pop Mart, these toys and fashion accessories often small enough to fit on a keyring are raking in big bucks. How much exactly? In April, Emily Brough, head of licensing for Pop Mart North America, told NBC News the Blind Box series for The Monsters, a group of characters that includes Labubu, generated more than $419 million in revenue in 2024—producing 726.6 percent year-over-year growth."The passion and demand we have seen for Labubu over the last few months, and most recently with the Into Energy release, has surpassed our expectations!" the executive wrote in an email to the outlet, citing one of its product series. "It’s been wonderful to see the impact our mischievous and lovable Labubu is having globally."

But you don’t need to just take Brough’s word for it to see that Labubu is a monster success. Scroll through TikTok and you’ll find countless videos of fans waiting in extensive store lines to get their hands on a Labubu and doing unboxing videos to reveal which Labubu was in their Blind Box—a mystery that’s only fully solved once the package is opened. Several stars—including BLACKPINK's Lisa, Simone Biles and Hilary Duff—have also shown their love for the figures. But if you’re still wondering what exactly a Labubu is, fear not. Keep scrolling to learn all about the phenomenon.  

What is a Labubu?

Simply put, a Labubu is a toy inspired by the story series "The Monsters" created by artist Kasing Lung, who was born in Hong Kong and later moved to The Netherlands.

According to toy company Pop Mart, the books are inspired by Nordic mythology and feature "magical characters both good and evil" called The Monsters. The most popular among these characters, the brand's website notes, is "a small monster with high, pointed ears and serrated teeth" called Labubu."Despite a mischievous look," the website continues, “LABUBU is kind-hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieves the opposite."While Labubu’s ears may resemble a rabbit's, make no mistake: The Monsters were actually inspired by elves."I liked to read storybooks," Lung previously told HyperBeast, per the BBC, "and was influenced by ancient European elf legends."The Monsters book series launched in 2015, but it was another four years before Lung partnered with Pop Mart. Then in 2023, the company began selling the popular keyring version Exciting Macaron, which helped turn the Labubu into a fashion accessory."I think the toys are already part of our lifestyle," Lung explained to CGTN Europe in March, "and that’s completely different from what we used to have."

How did Labubus become so popular?

Pop Mart can thank BLACKPINK's Lisa for helping them turn Labubus into the phenomenon they are today. In fact, The White Lotus star called the toy brand her “secret obsession” in a 2024 video for Vanity Fair."If I fly to New York, I go to Miami, I try to find Pop Mart there," she said in the clip, "Paris, everywhere. Kind of like finding treasure."However, Lisa’s secret obsession didn’t stay a secret for long. Soon, other stars like Rihanna, Madonna, Kim Kardashian, Dua Lipa and David Beckham were either photographed with or posting their own pics of their Labubus.Unboxing videos also helped drive the virality of Labubus. As Pop Mart explains on its website, Labubus are packaged in a “Blind Box,” which “keeps the collectible toy as a mystery until it is opened.”"Blind boxes typically come in series that shows a collection," the company's website notes, "some figurines are rarer to find than others, these are referred to as ‘secret,’ ‘hidden’ or ‘chase’ figures."Shoppers can either purchase a single Blind Box, which contains one item, or they can buy a set featuring six Blind Boxes with no repeats. And videos of people opening their boxes to find out which Labubus they got can rack up thousands, if not millions, of views. 

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Crystal Kung Minkoff, for instance, has posted several unboxing videos on her social media channels, captioning one, “Are you [on] the Labubu bandwagon?”

How much does a Labubu cost?

The price for a Labubu varies. In The Monsters Exciting Macaron set, for instance, a single Blind Box costs $27.99 while a whole set of six is priced at $167.94. Meanwhile, the Mega Labubu Tec 1000% All About Us, which is a much larger figure, costs $959.90.However, Pop Mart toys can often sell out quickly, and sometimes people will post a Labubu they purchased on a resale website and hike up the price.  

How do you buy a Labubu?

In addition to buying Labubus on Pop Mart’s website, shoppers can purchase them in the company’s stores or vending machines. But just search TikTok and you'll see there can often be long lines. Still, some stars like Emma Roberts may argue it’s worth the wait.“My dream finally came true,” the actress said in a May 31 Instagram video. “I am in Milan. I went to Pop Mart, I waited in line, and I got Have a Seat Labubu.”Pop Mart also does drops on TikTok Live, and shoppers can get boxes via the brand’s game feature Pop Now.And while some shoppers buy Labubus on resale websites or other stores, they should make sure they’re not purchasing a "Lafufu"—the internet’s term for a fake Labubu.

Are there other characters besides Labubu?

Yes! Labubu is just one of the characters in “The Monsters” series. Another popular one is Zimomo."Labubus are all girls," Crystal explained in a May 26 Instagram video. "Zimomos are boys."So how can fans tell which is which?“When this guy has a tail, they’re called Zimomo,” Lisa noted to Vanity Fair. “If she doesn’t have a tail, we call her Labubu.”

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