I remember the exact moment the labubu monster keychain went from a cute collectible to an absolute phenomenon. It was the "Exciting Macaron" series. One day, we were selling them at a normal pace in our shop, PopNya. The next, my phone was blowing up with DMs. "Do you have Soymilk?" "Any Lychee Berry left?" "Willing to pay double for Sesame Bean!" It was chaos. Beautiful, fluffy, expensive chaos.
Since then, Pop Mart has released more labubu keychain series, and the question I get constantly is: which one is the best? Are the new ones as good as the Macarons? Are the Macarons even worth the insane aftermarket prices anymore?
Look, if you just want a product description, you can go to Pop Mart's site. But if you want the real story from someone who has held, sold, and collected hundreds of these little guys, stick around. We're going to compare the big three: The Exciting Macaron, The Monsters Have a Seat, and The Monsters Big Into Energy. This is the breakdown I wish I had when I started.
The Legend: Exciting Macaron Series
This is the one that started it all. The monster keychain plush that launched a thousand bag charms. The Exciting Macaron series is iconic for a reason. The colors are soft and pastel, the fluff is unreal, and the designs are simple and perfect. When you hold one, you just get it.
But let's be real. The hype is both its biggest draw and its greatest weakness.
The Feel & Quality: The plush on the Macaron series is, in my opinion, still the gold standard. It's incredibly soft and dense. The stitching is usually top-notch, and the little embroidered faces are perfect. The hardware, the actual keychain part, is a simple, sturdy clasp. Nothing fancy, but it does the job. One thing I've noticed from handling dozens of them: the very first production run of Macarons feels slightly different. The plush is a tiny bit shaggier, and the tag material is a bit thinner. It's a minute detail you'd only notice if you were obsessed (like me), but it's a fun tell for early-run collectors.
The Market & The Madness: This is where things get crazy. A blind box from the monsters blind box keychain series retails for around $15-$17. But a "Soymilk" Macaron, the most coveted regular character, can easily fetch $80-$120 on the secondary market. The secret, "Green Grape," I've personally seen sell for over $200. It's wild. This price explosion was fueled entirely by social media, particularly in Asia, and it has made collecting the full set a very expensive hobby. If you want to dive deeper into this specific craze, I've written before about the whole Macaron vs. Pin for Love takedown and how it's defined the bag charm trend.
Real Talk on Macarons: Is it worth paying $100 for a Soymilk? Honestly, no. Not for a new collector. It's a beautiful piece, but that price is pure hype. The risk of getting a fake is also incredibly high at that price point. If you find a Macaron box for retail, grab it and pray to the toy gods. But don't break the bank chasing one on eBay. The joy of pulling it from a box is amazing; the feeling of overpaying for it is not.
The Follow-Up: The Monsters "Have a Seat" Series
After the Macaron madness, Pop Mart came out with the "Have a Seat" series. The concept is adorable: each LABUBU is in a little sitting pose. They look perfect perched on a shelf or, as the name implies, "sitting" on the edge of your bag.
So, how do they stack up?
The Feel & Quality: The first thing you'll notice is that the plush is different. It's not the same long, fluffy fur as the Macarons. It's a shorter, very soft minky-style fabric. It's still high quality, but it's a different texture. I personally love it, but some hardcore Macaron fans were initially disappointed. The fill is also a bit firmer, which helps them hold their sitting pose.
A key difference I've noticed as a seller is the box. The "Have a Seat" boxes are slightly larger and more cubic than the Macaron boxes. This might seem trivial, but it actually affects shipping costs and storage space for us. The hardware was also upgraded to a slightly more stylized star-shaped clasp, which was a nice touch. It feels a little more premium than the standard Macaron clasp.
The Market & The Sanity: Thankfully, the market for the "Have a Seat" series is much more reasonable. You can still find blind boxes at or near retail price. The secondary market for specific characters is active but not insane. A popular character might go for $25-$35, not $100+. This makes it a fantastic entry point for new collectors. You can actually afford to complete the set or hunt for your favorite without taking out a second mortgage. The secret, a fluffy white cloud-like LABUBU, is still valuable (around $80-$100), but the regular set is accessible.
Real Talk on "Have a Seat": This is the series I recommend to everyone who asks me where to start with the monsters keychain. It captures the charm of LABUBU, the quality is excellent, and the price is right. You get the fun of opening a labubu mystery keychain without the financial anxiety. It's the sensible, wonderful, and still incredibly cute younger sibling to the Macarons.
The New Kid: The Monsters "Big Into Energy" Series
Released more recently, the "Big Into Energy" series feels like Pop Mart's direct response to the community's creativity. We all started buying or making tiny clothes for our LABUBUs, so they gave us a series where they come with their own little outfits. Each one is wearing a hoodie or a little suit, themed around different "energy" sources like "Sleepy" or "Love."
The Feel & Quality: This series is a mixed bag, texturally speaking. The LABUBU bodies are made from that same shorter, minky plush as the "Have a Seat" series. But the hoodies are often a different material, like a terry cloth or a smooth cotton blend. It adds a really cool tactile dimension. The detail is fantastic, the little hoods actually go up and down.
However, I have to be honest. I've seen more quality control issues with this series than the others. Nothing major, but things like a stray thread on a hoodie or the embroidery being slightly off-center. It feels like they were produced in a massive rush to meet demand. Also, the little hoodies can make them feel a bit less "plush" and more like a dressed doll. It's a matter of preference. Do you want a pure plush or a little character in a costume? This is also a good time to mention that if you get into dressing them, you'll want to check out a guide to LABUBU clothes to make sure you get the right sizes.
The Market & The Hype Cycle: The hype for "Big Into Energy" was strong at launch, but it has cooled faster than the Macarons did. It's currently sitting in a market position similar to the "Have a Seat" series. You can find blind boxes, and individual characters sell for a modest premium. The designs are a bit more niche, you might love the "Gaming" one but not care for the "Work" one. This makes it less about collecting a full, aesthetically cohesive set and more about finding the one that speaks to you.
Real Talk on "Big Into Energy": This is a fun series, especially if you love the idea of the outfits. It shows that the pop mart the monsters keychain line is evolving. But for me, it doesn't quite have the timeless, simple charm of the first two. The outfits are cute, but they also complicate the design. It's a great "second or third" series to get into once you've already got a few classic labubu monsters keychain figures in your collection.
My Verdict as a Collector and Seller
So, after handling all three, which one wins? It depends entirely on what you're looking for.
* For the Hypebeast / High-Risk Collector: The Exciting Macaron. If you have the money and the patience to hunt for authentic ones, nothing beats the status of a Soymilk or Lychee hanging from your bag. It's the original, the icon. Just be prepared for the price tag and the fakes. If you're going down this road, you absolutely need to read up on how to buy a LABUBU keychain without getting scammed. * For the New Collector / Smart Buyer: The Monsters "Have a Seat". This is my top recommendation. The quality is fantastic, the sitting pose is unique and adorable, and the market is sane. You get all the joy of collecting LABUBU without the financial hangover. It's the perfect starting point. * For the Creative / Character-Focused Collector: The Monsters "Big Into Energy". If you love the idea of dressing up your toys and are drawn to specific character themes over a cohesive color palette, this is your series. It's fun, it's different, and it shows the playful evolution of Kasing Lung's world.
Ultimately, the explosion of the labubu monster keychain has been a wild ride. It's brought so many new people into the world of designer toys.Just know what you're getting into before you start chasing that elusive Soymilk Macaron.
And if you're ever looking to start or grow your collection, you can always browse our curated LABUBU collection at PopNya, we try our best to keep things in stock and at fair prices. Happy hunting!
*Disclosure: PopNya may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page.
