Pop Mart has temporarily paused Labubu sales in the UK. LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images 2025-05-21T04:26:31Z d Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? UK fans of Labubu won't be able to snag the toy in stores for a bit. The toy's producer, Pop Mart, said it would temporarily pause physical Labubu sales in the UK. It said this was to "ensure the safety" of people after long lines formed outside UK Pop Mart stores. Labubu fans in the UK have gone so wild for the toy, its seller has temporarily paused in-store sales.Pop Mart, the Chinese toymaker behind the viral doll that's taking the world by storm, announced the pause in an Instagram post on Tuesday."Due to the increasing demand for our beloved Labubus, we've seen a significant rise in customer turnout on restock days — with long queues forming outside our stores and Roboshops," the toymaker said.Pop Mart sells products in 16 locations across the UK, including the vending machine-style Roboshops."To ensure the safety and comfort of everyone, we will temporarily pause all in-store and roboshop sales of THE MONSTERS plush toys until further notice," Pop Mart added.Pop Mart said online drops of the toy would continue as usual.At least a dozen videos on TikTok of Pop Mart's stores in the UK show snaking lines forming at its entrances ahead of product drops.A video of the Pop Mart in Bullring, a shopping mall in Birmingham, showed a line stretching around the building. Barricades were set up at the start of the line to organize the queue.This comes as Labubu fever spreads from Asia to the West, with fans queuing for hours to get their hands on the furry plushie with serrated teeth.Labubus, which come in various designs, are sold in blind boxes, or toys that are not labeled.Pop Mart staff in Singapore told BI in November that stores are restocked with a few hundred figurines twice a week, but they sell out in minutes.Labubu and The Monsters toy line was a major cash cow for Pop Mart in 2024. According to the company's annual report, its sales totaled 3.04 billion yuan, or about million, which was 23% of Pop Mart's total revenue.Representatives for Pop Mart did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. #popmart #has #paused #all #labubu

Labubus have captivated the world under a spell of mischievous fantasy that is making the plush purse baubles a must-have collector’s toy. And if you’re a Jim Henson creature fan (think Labyrinth and Dark Crystal) or grew up on Where the Wild Things Are with a dash of Donnie Darko’s Frank the Bunny, you’ll find them hard to resist. Much like the lucky spirits of forest folklore that inspired them, Labubus are everywhere all at once and yet hard to find if you’re trying to buy one. Pop Mart, which distributes artist Kasing Lung’s beloved characters in vinyl and plush collectible form, releases drops that immediately sell out. Cutesy toy collectors are often having to turn to re-sellers at a steeper mark-up than the $20-30 the keychains usually go for, with prices often reaching hundreds of dollars for elusive variants. And while Pop Mart encourages fans to shop through official outlets, many fall for the trap of the Lafufus—faux Labubus, many of which are so cursed-looking, with eyes that fall out or bald peeled heads, they’ve garnered their own cult following as well.  “The Monsters,” as the series that spawned Labubu is called, continue to gain global recognition through popularity in the fantasy cottagecore realms of the internet. Labubu is the breakout species of the Monsters crew; the main character is also named Labubu and became the standout of the group thanks to the extreme ugly-cute quality that made her a viral sensation. Other characters in the Smurf-like tribe of Labubu include the rare pink Mokoko and the Labubu leader Zimomo (who has a tail), who also have a cult following of their own. Toy collectors love them, including celebrities like Blackpink’s Lisa (The White Lotus), What We Do in the Shadows‘ Harvey Guillén, and Madame Web’s Emma Roberts. io9’s conversation with Labubu figure creator Kasing Lung, conducted over email, delves into how Nordic supernatural folklore inspired the fuzzy elven creatures. Also—as fans ourselves, often awake at all hours of the night trying to nab an official Labubu on the Pop Mart app—we were excited to explore with Lung why he thinks the Monsters’ enchanting whimsy has taken over the world. Sabina Graves, io9: I’ve read that the creation of the Monsters was inspired by your time in the Netherlands when you were young. What about that experience inspired the Monsters story book idea, and how did that shift to making them into a physical art form? Kasing Lung: That’s right—Labubu was born from my fascination with Nordic mythology and European folklore, which I was surrounded by while growing up in the Netherlands. I’ve always been drawn to creatures that live in the space between fantasy and reality—figures that are both familiar and mysterious. I wanted to create a character that embodied that duality: mischievous yet endearing, strange yet deeply human. Labubu, like all the characters in the Monsters universe, has an emotional depth that makes her feel alive. When I partnered with Pop Mart, I was able to bring that imagination into the physical world—transforming Labubu from a storybook figure into something people could collect, connect with, and make their own. io9: What makes Pop Mart the ideal collaborator to share the Monsters with the world? Were you a part of collector culture growing up, and if so, what toys did you collect? Lung: Pop Mart’s design-forward philosophy makes them an ideal collaborator for any artist. They prioritize artistic integrity and allow creators like me the freedom to develop characters without compromise. That kind of trust is rare. It means every figure stays true to its roots—from concept to final collectible—and collectors can feel that authenticity in every piece. As for collecting, yes—I have always been interested in that world. I was drawn to toys that sparked imagination, whether it was action figures, miniature creatures, or things with unexpected personality. I think that fascination with small, expressive objects has stayed with me. The Monsters are really just a grown-up extension of that childlike wonder. [TK unboxing IG reel link] io9: I’d love to get your perspective on seeing your creations begin to appear in so many places on a global scale, even on fashion and music icons like Lisa. What do you think about the current fashion craze that the Monsters are a part of? Lung: Seeing Labubu embraced by fans worldwide, from dedicated collectors to global icons, is surreal and incredibly humbling. When I first started sketching Labubu, I wasn’t thinking about fame or fashion trends. I was just following a feeling, creating something that felt true to me. So to now see people lining up for drops, customizing their collections, and making Labubu part of their daily lives—it’s overwhelming in the best way. What’s happening in fashion feels like a natural evolution. Today, people want to wear their personalities, to show the world who they are through what they carry, collect, and wear. Labubu speaks to that desire for something playful, expressive, and a little bit rebellious. The fact that the Monsters are becoming part of that cultural language means the world to me. It pushes me to keep expanding the universe, to keep creating characters that surprise people and give them something they can connect with—emotionally and personally. io9: What are your plans to continue to expand the stories for the Monsters characters alongside the figures release? Are there any collaborations and projects related to them coming up that you can share that will open up their story to more fans around the world? Lung: Right now, I’m letting the Monsters story evolve naturally. These characters are always growing in my mind, and every new figure is a chance to explore a different side of their world. I never want to force their direction—it’s more about following the emotion behind them and letting that guide the creative process. In terms of collaborations, there are definitely exciting projects in the works. Most recently, we collaborated with One Piece for the Monsters × One Piece Series Figures. While I can’t reveal too much just yet, I’m always looking for opportunities to expand the Monsters into new mediums and formats, so fans can experience them in deeper and more immersive ways. © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart To see Pop Mart’s selection of the Monsters’ blind box offerings and collaborations, visit the retailer’s official site. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. Source: https://gizmodo.com/labubus-creator-on-the-ugly-cute-sensation-thats-taken-over-the-world-2000600397 #labubus #creator #the #uglycute #sensation #thats #taken #over #world