Labubu: When Collective Imagination Speaks Louder

Every so often, a small thing captures a big feeling.

This year for me, it’s a wide-eyed, snaggle-toothed creature called Labubu — a character that somehow leapt from art toy culture into the global conversation.

When I was in Singapore earlier this year, Labubu felt like a whisper. You’d spot one tucked behind a glass cabinet in a design store or dangling from a bag in a café queue. Now, it’s a chorus… shared, collected, traded, loved.

Created by artist Kasing Lung, Labubu comes from a universe called The Monsters. A world of charming misfits that blend cute and creepy in perfect tension. Through blind-box releases, the character spread like wildfire. What began as a niche collectible became a shared language.

But here’s what’s interesting: Labubu didn’t rise through ads or algorithms alone. It grew through voices. Through collectors showing friends their latest pull. Through creators remixing, unboxing, restyling, photographing. Through shared fandom that blurred borders, languages, and generations.

The appeal isn’t just the toy — it’s the belonging.

Labubu became a vessel for self-expression, for nostalgia, for play. In a world that often feels too polished, this slightly offbeat creature gave people permission to love something strange together.

Maybe that’s the real story.

“What began as a niche collectible became a shared language.”

In an age of automation and enshortification, Labubu reminds us that culture still spreads through conversation…through borrowed wisdom and the spark of shared excitement.

Because behind every trend is a network of voices.

Something to think about.

Labubu’s creator Kasing Lung