I need to get something off my chest. The past few weeks in my corner of the internet, the world of designer toys, have been, for lack of a better word, completely unhinged. My inbox at PopNya has been a wild ride. I'm getting more questions about exorcisms than I am about shipping times.
"Hi, are your LABUBU dolls blessed?" "I heard they are connected to a demon. Is this true?" "Can you guarantee this toy won't become sentient and rearrange my furniture?"
So, let's talk about the labubu controversy. You've probably seen the TikToks. The frantic Facebook posts from concerned moms. The grainy screenshots comparing our favorite toothy elf to Pazuzu, a demon from ancient Mesopotamian mythology who, frankly, looks nothing like a LABUBU.
It's a classic internet moral panic. A game of telephone played across social media algorithms, where a cute vinyl toy gets twisted into something sinister. And as a collector and seller who has spent years loving and handling these figures, I feel like I need to set the record straight.
The Spark: A Misunderstood Monster
The whole thing seems to have exploded from a few viral videos pointing out that LABUBU has pointy ears, sharp teeth, and is sometimes depicted with wings. The big leap in logic was connecting this to Pazuzu, a winged demon with a... Well, let's just say a very different and more menacing vibe.
Honestly, the comparison is a massive stretch. It's like saying because a shark and a dolphin both have fins and live in the ocean, they're the same animal. It ignores context, intent, and artistry completely. But the internet loves a good conspiracy, and suddenly the labubu doll conspiracy was born. People started asking, "are labubu dolls bad?" and the narrative snowballed from there.
The thing is, this fear comes from a total misunderstanding of what LABUBU is. It's not some ancient demonic entity. It's a character from a storybook.
Who Is Actually Behind LABUBU?
This is the part that gets lost in all the sensationalism. LABUBU wasn't summoned in a dark ritual. He was drawn. By a very kind and talented man named Kasing Lung.
Kasing is a Hong Kong-based artist who spent years in Belgium as a children's book illustrator. His entire universe, "The Monsters," which includes LABUBU, Zimomo, Tycoco, and Pato, is born from a place of whimsical, European-style fairy tales. Think more Brothers Grimm (the original, slightly dark versions) or Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, and less The Exorcist. I've followed his work for years, and it's clear that his creations are more than just a rabbit with teeth; they are characters with heart, mischief, and a sense of wonder.
His art is about exploring the world of elves and monsters, not about promoting evil. LABUBU is a mischievous but good-hearted little monster. The teeth and ears aren't symbols of demonic power; they're design choices that make him unique and endearing, like a little gremlin you actually want to keep.
"But They Look Scary!"
Okay, let's address the design. Pointy teeth. Big ears. Sometimes wings. I get it. To someone completely unfamiliar with designer toys, it might look a little strange.
But are they "bad"? Are they "evil"? Come on.
Stitch, from Disney's Lilo & Stitch, is an alien experiment designed for destruction, has multiple arms, and a mouth full of sharp teeth. We give plushies of him to toddlers. Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon is a "Night Fury" dragon. Kids have him on their backpacks. The entire cast of Where the Wild Things Are are literally called "Wild Things" and look terrifying, yet it's a beloved children's classic.
The "cute monster" is a well-established trope. It's about finding beauty and companionship in the unconventional. LABUBU fits perfectly into this tradition. To single him out as demonic is to ignore decades of popular culture.
Real Talk: Are LABUBU Dolls Haunted?
This is the question that's been flooding my DMs the most. "Are labubu dolls haunted?" "Is labubu cursed?"
As the owner of PopNya, my stockroom currently contains several hundred LABUBU figures from various series. They are in boxes, on shelves, and in shipping mailers. I spend hours a day surrounded by them.
I can report, with 100% certainty, that my inventory is not levitating. No disembodied voices have whispered ancient curses from the Macaron series boxes. The Fall's Breeze LABUBU hasn't caused a localized cold front in my office. The only supernatural phenomenon I've witnessed is how quickly a case of The Monsters "Let's Christmas" series disappeared in December.
The idea that these mass-produced vinyl figures are individually possessed vessels for demonic spirits is, frankly, absurd. It's a fundamental misunderstanding of both designer toys and, I would imagine, actual demonic possession. So no, your LABUBU is not cursed. It's not going to bring you bad luck. The only way a LABUBU is labubu bad luck is if you drop it and scuff the paint job. That's a tragedy, but it's not a supernatural one.
The Market Never Lies: A Seller's Perspective
Here's the most interesting part from my end. Has this whole controversy hurt sales? Has the fear that are labubus part of the devil made people stop buying?
Not even a little bit. In fact, it's been the opposite.
The week the main "Pazuzu" TikTok went viral, we saw a 40% jump in traffic to our LABUBU pages. The search term "Labubu" on our site tripled overnight. The Streisand Effect is real, folks. All the "don't buy this evil toy" warnings acted as the world's weirdest free advertising campaign.
The Zimomo keychain series, the one everyone was clutching in those viral videos, sold out on our site two days faster than the previous restock. I had to place a larger reorder from my supplier, and even they were struggling to keep up.
This tells me two things: 1. The vast majority of people see this controversy for what it is: ridiculous internet drama. 2. The newfound visibility brought a whole new audience to LABUBU, people who had never heard of him before but saw the cute toy and thought, "I want that," completely ignoring the demonic baggage attached.
The market has spoken. And it's saying, "We'll take the cute, 'haunted' rabbit, please."
A Collector's Tip Amidst the Chaos
All this sudden hype, however, does have a genuine downside: fakes.
Scammers and counterfeit producers thrive on hype. When a product goes viral, they flood the market with cheap knock-offs to prey on new, unsuspecting buyers. The controversy just gives them more cover. People are so focused on the "is it evil?" question that they forget to ask the more important one: "is it real?"
So here's a real tip: If you're buying a LABUBU, especially from a third-party marketplace like eBay or Mercari, be careful. One thing I've noticed on the recent counterfeit Zimomo keychains is the texture of the vinyl. Real Pop Mart vinyl has a specific smooth, matte finish. A lot of the fakes have a slightly stickier, glossier feel right out of the bag. The paint lines are also a dead giveaway. If the color bleeds over the lines, especially around the eyes and teeth, be suspicious.
Honestly, the best way to avoid getting scammed is to buy from reputable sellers or directly from Pop Mart. It's a minefield out there, and a fake is the only version of a LABUBU that will truly bring you bad luck (in the form of wasted money). If you're ever in doubt, our guide on spotting fake Labubu goes into much more detail.
What the LABUBU Community is Actually LikeWhile a small, loud corner of the internet is debating demonology, the actual LABUBU community is doing what it has always done: creating and sharing joy.
Go search for LABUBU on Instagram or Pinterest. You won't find demonic shrines. You'll find thousands of beautiful, creative photos of these figures on adventures. You'll see people's collections displayed with pride. You'll find an explosion of fan art, which is a testament to how much these characters inspire people. The whole reason everyone is drawing LABUBU is because they connect with the character's playful, adventurous spirit.
The community is about the thrill of the blind box, the excitement of trading with a friend to complete a set, and the simple happiness of placing a cute little monster on your desk to make you smile during a long workday.
That's the real magic of LABUBU. It's not black magic. It's the simple, pure joy of collecting.
So, at the end of the day, you can believe the fear-mongering and see a demon. Or you can see a piece of art, a character from a story, and a cute little monster with a toothy grin.
I know which one I see. And I'm going to keep stocking my shelves with them.
If you've read this far and decided you're ready to join the "demonic" little club (we have cute keychains and amazing vinyl figures), you can browse our full LABUBU collection and see for yourself what the fuss is really about. I promise they don't bite. Hard.
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