What Is Labubu, and Why Is This Creepy-Cute Toy Everywhere

Have you seen those oversized, glassy eyes staring back at you all over the internet? Those are Labubu  toys. Its craze is taking over social media, and it's hard to avoid being influenced. With its sharp little teeth and creepy-cute smile, this toy is equally adorable and unsettling. It's like a character from a dark children's book - a mischievous monster that's both fascinating and unnerving. 

It’s the kind of thing you don’t expect to trend, but then again, that’s exactly why it does.

Labubu is part of The Monsters, a designer toy series created by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung and produced by Pop Mart. Unlike mainstream stuffed animals, these toys are made in limited runs, often released in “blind boxes"i.e. you don’t know which version you’ll get until you open it. That surprise, mixed with the collectable scarcity, is a big part of the appeal. But that’s only half the story.

The real reason Labubu’s blowing up? It’s strange. And strange is interesting.

There’s something about its design, those wide, staring eyes, the slightly off proportions, the sharp little teeth that feels like it shouldn’t work. But it does. In a world full of overly polished, algorithm-friendly aesthetics, Labubu feels raw. A little eerie for sure. And that’s why people are drawn to it.

Especially Gen Z, who’ve made it their own. It’s become part of a broader shift in how young people interact with objects, especially online. Labubu isn’t just a collectible now,for many it’s part of a carefully curated online identity. It shows up in unboxing reels, moodboard dumps, “What’s in my bag” edits,Whether you're into Y2K vibes or pastel-core minimalism, this odd little figure has all of those. That’s what makes it so viral,it slips into aesthetic niches with its wise variety.

But the Labubu story doesn’t stop at design trends. Like anything that gains attraction online, it soon attracted its share of theories and chaos.

Scroll through Reels or Reddit and you’ll find stories ranging from silly to borderline paranormal. Someone claims their Labubu “moved on its own.” Someone else jokes about waking up with scratches on their arm after sleeping next to one. There’s even a rumour that one of the dolls had a hidden camera inside its eye. None of this has been confirmed, obviously. Most of it sounds like typical internet myth-making. But that hasn’t stopped people from believing-or at least pretending to believe it

There’s also the Simpsons connection. A clip from an old Halloween episode, where a possessed doll wreaks havoc, started making the rounds with captions suggesting the show “predicted Labubu.” Again, no actual connection. But the eerie vibes match, and that’s all the internet needs.

Pop Mart, to their credit, handled it well. They joined in on the joke with an April Fool’s “recall notice” blaming supernatural behaviour. It was obviously fake, but smart. It lets them lean into the chaos without taking themselves too seriously.

Meanwhile, the hype hasn’t slowed down. In India, too, Labubu has been popping up in haul videos, aesthetic what's in my bag, and toy collector posts. It's not exactly cheap; a single figure can range from ₹1,500 to over ₹10,000 but that hasn’t stopped fans. The price tag adds to the exclusivity. And in the age of flex culture, a weird little toy that’s hard to find and even harder to explain? That’s a perfect flex.

It’s worth noting that Labubu is part of a larger movement. More and more, people are surrounding themselves with objects that feel comforting, nostalgic, and a little odd. From Squishmallows to K-pop figurines, there’s a clear appetite for tangible things in a mostly digital world. Labubu just happens to hit a sweet spot that is it’s soft enough to be a comfort item, but weird enough to feel like a personality statement.

What’s surprising, maybe even a little concerning, is just how deep this obsession runs. People aren’t just buying one Labubu and calling it a day. Some fans don’t stop at just one. They're building whole collections,dozens lined up on shelves or dressed in tiny hoodies. Online forums are full of collectors swapping rare variants, hunting for limited drops, or just showing off their setups. It’s fun, sure, but it also reflects a deeper cycle of hype, FOMO, and the thrill of chasing the next box. You’ll find Labubu figures hanging from backpacks, dangling off keychains, or perched on study desks treated less like toys and more like talismans. It’s cute, yes, but it's also an obsession. Haul videos with fifteen or twenty Labubus aren’t uncommon. 

The obsession has spilled into accessories too. Entire online shops now sell Labubu display domes, zipper pouches, keychain cases,From hoodies to hats, owners are dressing them up like action figures with a wardrobe. Some resellers are making more from Labubu accessories than the toys themselves. 

Will the hype last? Probably not forever. Internet trends have short lifespans, and even the most viral moments eventually fade. 

For some, it’s about aesthetics. For others, it’s about the thrill of owning something exclusive. But beneath it all, there’s a quiet undertone of overconsumption, the kind that feeds on scarcity, trends, and the pressure to keep up before the next thing hits the feed. And this is where we are now as a generation so deep into internet culture that a wide-eyed, sharp-toothed doll most of us hadn’t even heard of two months ago is suddenly a desired thing of all.

It’s a reflection of how trends work today fast, unpredictable, and often disconnected from meaning. Most people buying Labubu don’t know its origin or backstory. But that doesn't really matter anymore. In the world of aesthetic hauls and viral collectibles, it’s not about what something is.It’s a vibe: A little off, A little mysterious, Weirdly comforting, And completely impossible to ignore. 

By Aditi Sawarkar