La Boo Boo? Lou Boo Boo? A Real Collector’s Guide to the Monster Everyone Wants

I have to confess something. One of my favorite things to do as a shop owner is look at the search terms people use to find our site. Sure, most people type "Labubu," but the number of folks typing la boo boo, lou boo boo, or even blah boo boo is honestly staggering. And you know what? I love it. It means you’ve seen this little monster somewhere—probably dangling from a backpack on the subway or in a K-pop star's Instagram story—and you just need to know what the heck it is.

So, let’s clear the air. That lil boo boo doll you’re seeing everywhere is called Labubu. It’s a character created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung as part of "The Monsters" story series. It looks like a rabbit, but it’s not a bunny. It’s a monster with a mischievous grin, and right now, it is arguably the hottest designer toy on the planet.

If you are trying to figure out what does a lab boo boo look like exactly, picture a tall, slender creature with long ears, a serrated smile, and eyes that look a little bit crazy. The most distinct feature? The teeth. I get asked how many teeth do labubu have surprisingly often. The classic design features exactly nine serrated teeth. If you count them on your lil boo boo toy and find fewer or they look like flat human teeth, you might be holding a bad bootleg.

Here is where I need to be brutally honest with you. If you are looking for a lu boo boo keychain (the plush ones that people hang on bags), you are entering a chaotic market. The official name is the "Exciting Macaron" series (V1) or the newer "Have a Seat" (V2).

Retail price for these blind boxes is usually around $17 to $20 USD depending on where you live. However, I’ve seen resellers listing a single la boo boo doll for upwards of $60, sometimes hitting $120 for the "Soymilk" or "Sesame Bean" colors.

Please, do not panic buy. I have watched the market fluctuate wildly. Just last month, prices on the V1 vinyl face plushies dipped because everyone started chasing the V2 "Have a Seat" versions. If you are patient, you can often snag a little boo boo doll for a decent price when a restock hits. We try to keep our inventory fair at PopNya, so you might want to check out our LABUBU collection to see what's actually sitting on shelves right now versus what is pre-order.

Collectors often ask me about the labubu old version. If you see listings for "old version," they usually refer to the V1 Macaron plush pendants where the face, hands, and feet are made of smooth vinyl. The newer V2 "Have a Seat" series features a flocked face (fuzzy texture) and they are in a sitting position.

Personally, I prefer the labubu old version (V1) because the smooth vinyl face is easier to clean. If you take your boo boo plush out into the world on your handbag, that V2 fuzzy face is going to get dirty fast. I spilled coffee near my V2 "Hehe" figure last week and nearly had a heart attack. The smooth vinyl just wipes clean.

Because everyone and their grandma is trying to buy a lala boo boo, the fakes are getting scary good. I bought a fake booboo dolls set from a random marketplace just to compare, and here is a dead giveaway that nobody talks about: the feet.

On the genuine plush pendants, the "The Monsters" logo stamped on the foot is deep and clearly defined. On the fake lil bobo doll, the stamp was shallow and barely legible. Also, check the fur. The real Labubu fur is dense and messy in a "styled" way. The fakes often look like cheap carnival prizes with fur that sheds if you pull it slightly.

If you are looking for the smaller vinyl figures (not the plush), the hello boo boos of the world come in massive variety. The "Fall in Wild" series is cute, but the joints are notoriously loose on the smaller figures. If you shake the box and it rattles too much, it might be a sign of a broken accessory, which happens more often than I'd like to admit with that specific series.

I think the confusion comes from the sheer number of products. You have the labubu bunny style ears, the bear-like body, and the strange name. I’ve heard customers ask to show me a boo boo doll and then show me a picture of Zimomo.

Quick lesson: Zimomo is the one with the tail. Labubu usually doesn't have a tail (or has a tiny nub). If you see a little boo boo toy with a big spikey tail, that is likely Zimomo, the chief of the monster tribe. They look 90% the same, so don't feel bad if you mix them up.

If you are just getting into this and don't want to spend a fortune, avoid the hype items like the giant 1000% Mega figures for now. Start with a blind box series like "The Monsters: Tasty Macarons" or the "Lazy Yoga" series. They are affordable, the quality control is generally solid, and they look great on a desk.

You can browse LABUBU figures on our site to see the difference between the vinyl mini figures and the plush pendants. The vinyls are great for display; the plushies are for fashion.

Don't get FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Pop Mart prints these things in massive batches. When the "Have a Seat" series first dropped, it sold out in seconds. Two weeks later? Restocks everywhere. Unless it is a numbered limited edition, that lala boo you want will likely come back in stock.

Keep an eye on the teeth (remember: nine serrated ones), check the foot stamp, and don't pay triple retail unless you absolutely need that specific colorway right this second. Happy hunting!

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