Addictive nostalgia & the kids who never grow up
Andrea Chiang (they/them) // Contributor
Livvy Hung (she/her) // Illustrator
Buying a house or paying off loans seems nearly impossible for our generation, it’s no wonder people gravitate towards smaller luxuries. Splurging on something small—like a lipstick or a coffee—can feel like the only means to treat yourself after a long week of juggling multiple minimum wage jobs. You may not be Lisa from Blackpink, but at least you can share something in common: you both own the high-fashion luxury bag charm Labubu.
For the uninitiated, Labubu is a character created by a Hong Kong artist named Kasing Lung and released as a series of collectible toys at Pop Mart. The character appears as a humanoid figure with big eyes and a smile, flashing pointy teeth. Although Labubu appears to be like any other blind box character from Pop Mart, she has collaborated with high-end brands such as Moynat and Miu Miu, and celebrities like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, David Beckham and members of BTS—V, RM and J-Hope—have been spotted sporting their Labubus as well. Labubu has garnered worldwide attention and has been recognized as a status symbol; to own a Labubu is to own a piece of luxury, like an expensive bracelet or watch you would wear for special occasions.
However, Labubu is more than a cute accessory; she is also a toy packaged in blind boxes that prey on people’s gambling addictions. Labubu may be unique in her social capital, but she is no different from the dozens of other Pop Mart blind box toys. Blind boxes are similar to buying a pack of Pokémon trading cards or hockey cards; you don’t know what you’ll get until you open it, and there is always a rare figure that is even harder to obtain than the others. These figures feature the same character and are designed around a theme, such as fruits, animal costumes, mundane sleeping routines, you name it. The thrill of never knowing which figure you will get and feeling as if the one you want will be found in your next purchase makes it feel like gambling. There are countless different series that incentivize you to collect and buy them all. Countries like China and Singapore have even placed regulations to protect consumers, especially children, from the gambling addiction of buying blind boxes. It is no different than in-game loot box purchases with randomized, purchasable content, which are already regulated in places like Belgium and the Netherlands.
Apart from the design of blind boxes that mimic gambling, a lot of what drives the appeal of these characters, specifically Labubu, can be attributed to the wave of nostalgia that Millennials and Gen Z have been experiencing, as previously mentioned. To me, Labubu looks a lot like a character from the popular children’s book ‘Where the Wild Things Are,’ and I am certain many Western consumers can agree. Labubu and blind boxes are reminiscent of childhood experiences such as tearing open Pokémon trading cards, opening up a Kinder Egg Surprise, cranking gacha machines or simply opening up birthday presents. Buying a cute toy for yourself—something you might not have been given as a kid while growing up during an economic recession in the 2000s—feels like a way of healing your inner child, a trend that has picked up since the 2020s.
I doubt that Labubu will be the last wave of adults collecting toys we’ll see. The Labubu trend is slowly dying down, but a new toy emerging is inevitable. A prediction for the next 2026 toy trend I’ve found is Mirumi, a fluffy sloth-like creature with motion-detection eyes that reacts to its surroundings and can be carried as a bag accessory. According to a video by Firstpost, there’s a trend of wearable tech and playful fashion—especially in Gen Z—and Mirumi blurs the line between the two. My prediction is that we’ll see more toys similar to Mirumi, such as AI chatbots or voice assistants like Siri or Alexa, but in a cute, wearable form that’s easy to carry around. There is already a rise in AI girlfriends, which is likely due to a loneliness epidemic that COVID severely worsened in the 2020s. So, having a portable, cute companion like Mirumi is just the beginning. Perhaps as technology advances, so will toys.
Whether you collect rocks, action figures or Labubus, there is no shortage of people who crave returning to their best childhood memories and being able to play with their toys without the impending doom of economic collapse. It could be why Disney remakes and sequels of beloved franchises refuse to end, especially if these stories and characters have a large following. There is a communal aspect that comes from being a Labubu collector or an average Marvel fan; you can attend meet-ups, conventions or stores where you can trade merchandise or discuss shared interests that are related to or revolve around your fixation. After getting through a worldwide pandemic, a bit of escapism and community can go a long way to help you get through your working-class life.