I first noticed something was weird a few months back. The DMs and emails to PopNya started to change. Instead of the usual questions about restocks or series details, we got a flood of messages asking the same thing: "Do you have the 24k gold LABUBU?" or "Where can I buy the KSI LABUBU?"
My first thought was, "KSI... The YouTuber?"
It took about five minutes of scrolling through TikTok to connect the dots. A creator, who the internet has dubbed the "Labubu Lady," had gone viral. She was known for her massive collection, particularly her love for a specific, super-rare figure: the 24k Gold LABUBU from The Monsters Exciting Macarons series. Then, she made a custom LABUBU for the influencer KSI, and the internet exploded.
Suddenly, LABUBU wasn't just our niche little world of designer toy lovers. It was mainstream. And honestly? My feelings were… complicated.
So, Who is the "Labubu Woman" and What's the Deal?
For those who missed it, the "Labubu Lady" is a TikTok creator named Lilz. She gained a massive following for her passionate videos. Her signature piece is the 24k Gold LABUBU, a "super secret" chase figure from the 2023 Exciting Macarons set. It's the kind of figure that, even as a seller, I rarely see in the wild.
Her fame skyrocketed when she created a custom LABUBU figure for KSI, a British influencer with millions of followers. This custom piece, designed to resemble him, is what people are searching for when they type in ksi labubu meaning. The meaning isn't some deep lore from Kasing Lung, the artist behind LABUBU. It's simply a one-of-a-kind fan creation for a celebrity.
Of course, it didn't take long for controversy to follow. The custom figure had dark skin and pronounced lips, leading to a huge online debate and accusations of the design being a caricature rooted in blackface. KSI himself posted a video looking uncomfortable, and the whole thing became a messy internet spectacle.
Other blogs have covered the drama to death. I'm not here to rehash that. What I want to talk about is what happened next, the ripple effect this viral moment had on our hobby.
Real Talk: The Market Aftermath
As a seller, I have a front-row seat to how trends affect the market. The "Labubu Lady" effect was immediate and, frankly, a little insane.
Let's talk numbers. The Monsters Exciting Macarons series retailed for about $14-$15 a box. The 24k Gold LABUBU, being a super secret chase, already had a high secondary market value. Before the viral moment, you might see it pop up on eBay or collector forums for around $400-$500. It was a serious collector's piece, but it was attainable for the dedicated.
After the TikToks went nuclear? I personally saw listings hit $1,200. One even sold for close to $1,500.
That is a bubble.
It wasn't just the gold figure. The price for a sealed case of the Exciting Macarons series, which gives you a chance at the secret, shot up by 30-40% on reseller sites. We had people emailing our shop, offering to buy our entire stock, not because they loved the designs, but because they thought they could flip them for a profit. They weren't collectors; they were prospectors caught up in a gold rush.
This is the dark side of viral hype. It brings a ton of new eyes to LABUBU, which is great in theory. But it also attracts people who see the toys not as art, but as stocks to be bought and sold. It creates an artificial scarcity and prices out genuine fans who just want to complete their collection.
I had to tell more than one new person, "Look, I would not recommend paying $1,000 for that figure right now. The price is inflated by a temporary trend, and it's going to come back down." Being honest might have cost me a few potential sales to hype-chasers, but it's the right thing to do for the health of the community.
The Art of the Custom vs. The Official Release
The other thing the ksi labubu meaning query brings up is the world of customizing. The figure the "Labubu Lady" made was a custom. It was a blank LABUBU that she painted and modified herself.
Customizing is a huge, respected part of the designer toy world. Some artists make their entire career out of creating incredible, one-of-a-kind pieces from blank platforms like a LABUBU or a Dunny. It's a beautiful art form.
But, and this is a big but for new collectors, a custom is not an official release. It has no set "market value" in the same way a chase from Pop Mart does. Its value is purely what someone is willing to pay for that specific artist's work. The KSI custom is a 1-of-1 piece that isn't for sale. You can't buy it.
This is where new folks get confused. They see the viral custom and think it's a product they can find in a store. Then they see the 24k Gold figure and conflate the two. This confusion is dangerous because it can lead people to buy fakes or heavily modified figures, thinking they're getting something official. It's more important than ever to know how to tell if your Labubu is real, especially when a character gets this much mainstream attention.
Our Take: Why You Should Ignore the Hype
Okay, here's my honest verdict as someone who lives and breathes these little monsters. The whole Labubu Lady phenomenon is a distraction.
Is it fun to see LABUBU get a moment in the spotlight? Sure. But this kind of fame is fleeting and toxic. It's driven by drama, not by a love for the art. The people who flooded the market looking for the "KSI LABUBU" will be gone in six months, chasing the next viral trend. And when they leave, the price bubble they created will pop, potentially leaving new, well-intentioned buyers holding a figure they paid way too much for.
My advice is simple: ignore it.
Don't buy the 24k Gold LABUBU because you saw it on TikTok. Buy it if you're a die-hard collector who has been saving up for a grail piece for years. Don't get into LABUBU to make a quick buck. Get into it because you look at one of Kasing Lung's designs and it makes you smile. The real joy of this hobby isn't in owning the most expensive piece; it's in the thrill of the hunt, the community you build, and the connection you feel to the artist's work.
The real story of LABUBU isn't about influencers or internet drama. It's about an artist, Kasing Lung, and his whimsical world of monsters that he's been building for over a decade.Many people don't even know the actual meaning behind the Labubu character, which is far more interesting than any TikTok trend.
If you're new here because of all the buzz, welcome! We're glad to have you. But I urge you to look past the gold and the hype. Take some time to browse the entire LABUBU collection. Look at The Monsters Camping series, or the Patisserie series, or the whimsical Flower Elves. Find the one that speaks to you. That's the figure that will still bring you joy long after the TikTok algorithm has moved on.
The "Labubu Lady" and the KSI drama will eventually become a footnote in the history of designer toys. But the magic of opening a blind box, the delight in finding a character you love, and the artistry of Kasing Lung's world, that's forever. Don't let the noise drown out the music.
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