LABUBU Doll Craze, Offline Sales Halted Due to Safety Concerns
The popularity of the LABUBU doll, a Chinese character loved worldwide, has surged to the point that offline sales in the Republic of Korea have been halted. This measure comes out of concern for safety in stores.
LABUBU is a character doll launched by the Chinese toy company Pop Mart, known for its fluffy fur, perked-up ears reminiscent of a rabbit, nine sharp teeth, and a whimsical expression, making it highly popular.
This doll is sold in a "random box" format, which increases its rarity and collectibility since buyers do not know which design of the doll is inside until they open the box.
Emergence as a Luxury Accessory Chosen by Celebrities
The LABUBU doll has gained further recognition as global celebrities like BLACKPINK's Lisa and Rosé, and pop star Rihanna have been seen accessorizing with the doll on luxury handbags.
As a result, it has achieved a status comparable to "luxury accessories," with some rare models being traded at prices exceeding ten times their original value.
The limited-edition trading platform, 'Cream,' announced on the 18th that LABUBU transactions in June surged by 121% compared to the previous month and an astonishing 7711% compared to the same period last year.
In particular, the "LABUBU X Pronounce Fantasy Wings Doll," a collaboration with a fashion brand, is priced at 128,000 KRW but has been resold on the Cream platform for over 1.3 million KRW, proving its explosive popularity.
At the Yungler Spring Auction held in China, a 131 cm limited-edition LABUBU doll was auctioned for 1.08 million yuan (approximately 20 million KRW).
Decision to Halt Offline Sales Due to Safety Concerns
However, this heated popularity has led to “open run” phenomena, causing store congestion and safety issues.
In response, Pop Mart Korea recently announced in an official statement, "Concerns regarding safety incidents at offline sales sites have been raised, and considering customer safety as a top priority, we have decided to temporarily halt offline sales of the entire LABUBU series."
Pop Mart Korea added, "We will do our best to provide more satisfying services" and expressed deep apologies for the inconvenience caused.
However, there was no specific mention regarding the continuation of online sales or the timeline for resuming offline sales, drawing the attention of LABUBU collectors.
Image sources: youtube 'vanity fair', instagram 'roses_are_rosie', pop mart japan
