LABUBU Doll Craze, Offline Sales Halted Due to Safety Concerns
The popularity of the LABUBU doll, a beloved Chinese character, has become so overwhelming that offline sales have been suspended in the Republic of Korea. This action was taken due to safety concerns in stores.
LABUBU is a character doll released by the Chinese toy company Pop Mart, known for its fluffy fur, rabbit-like perky ears, nine sharp teeth, and comical expressions, making it a favorite among many.
The distinctive design
The doll is sold in a "random box" format, where the buyer cannot know which design of the doll is inside until opening the box, enhancing its rarity and collectability.
Luxury Accessories Chosen by Celebrities
The LABUBU doll gained further recognition as global celebrities, including BLACKPINK's Lisa and Rosé, as well as pop star Rihanna, appeared with it as an accessory on luxury bags.
As a result, it has attained a status comparable to "luxury accessories," with some rare models being traded for more than ten times their original price.
The limited-edition trading platform 'KREAM' announced on the 18th that the trading volume of LABUBU in June increased by 121% compared to the previous month and a staggering 7711% compared to the same period last year.
In particular, the collaboration doll 'LABUBU X Pronounced Fantasy Wings Doll,' priced at 128,000 KRW, was resold on the KREAM platform for over 1.3 million KRW, proving its explosive popularity.
At an auction held in China, a limited-edition LABUBU doll measuring 131 cm was sold for 1.08 million yuan (approximately 20 million KRW), setting a record.
Decision to Halt Offline Sales Due to Safety Concerns
However, this overwhelming popularity led to an "open run" phenomenon, causing overcrowding and safety issues in stores.
In response, Pop Mart Korea recently released an official statement saying, "Due to safety concerns arising from recent incidents at offline sales locations, we have decided to temporarily suspend offline sales of all LABUBU series to prioritize customer safety."
Pop Mart Korea added, "We will do our best to provide even more satisfactory services," and expressed deep regret for the inconvenience caused to customers.
However, there was no specific mention regarding the continuation of online sales or the schedule for resuming offline sales, which has caught the attention of LABUBU collectors.
Image sources: youtube 'vanity fair', instagram 'roses_are_rosie', pop mart japan
