August 21, 2025
1k+ 1
After Global Artist and member of the widely known Kpop Group Blackpink, Lisa, made known her interest in the Labubu franchise, no matter where you look or scroll — from tote bags to belt loops — these fuzzy little creatures with their soft exteriors and toothy grins are everywhere. Labubus have taken the globe by storm. And like a lot of people on who are chronically online, I was completely entranced by these wide-eyed critters.
Like so many others, I caved. What followed was a two-month-long hunt just to secure one of them. I quickly learned that finding one was nearly impossible. I didn’t have fancy bots, and as a high school student-athlete with a job, I didn’t have the time to sit on TikTok Live or monitor the Pop Mart countdown just to get a single figurine. And when I did try, it was snatched from my cart in seconds and after doing a deep dive and stumbling upon the Labubu Reddit thread, I learned that Popmart isn't focused on prioritizing their customers rather than catering to their resellers — the people snapping up the toys in bulk and flipping them for outrageous prices.
Eventually, I accepted that the only way I was ever going to get my hands on one of these funny looking things was through a reseller. And that on its own came with risks: I could get scammed with a Labubu that had lopsided eyes and missing teeth… or maybe, if I got lucky, I’d actually receive what I paid for.
Take the Quiz: Which ’90s Movie Character Are You?
Are you ready to travel back to the iconic ’90s and discover which unforgettable movie character matches your personality? Take this quiz to find out!
Three days later, a sketchy-looking plastic bag arrived on my porch — and inside it, my Labubus. At first, I was excited hoping i’d get some luck from the Popmart gods and scored an authentic Lychee Berry and Sea Salt Coconut Labubu. But quickly after evaluating their value I realized these things were actually pretty useless and totally not worth the money.
Don’t get me wrong — they are adorable little collectibles. But for 80 dollars, I couldn’t understand how anyone would event want to spend that much or even more on two relatively small plastic toys. Is it about the experience? Sure — opening one and guessing which character you’ll get is totally exciting. But deep down, were these just another product of overconsumption? Something I thought I wanted — or maybe just something everyone else had? Quickly I realized I was more into the hype surrounding Labubus than the actual toy. Online, they seem like the must-have trending fashion item for this short period of time. In real life? They’re really just overpriced trinkets.
Would I buy another one? Never. For that same price, I could’ve bought 16 Miraculous Ladybug Kwami blind boxes — or a brand-new pair of batting gloves, something I’d use almost every day. Either of those would’ve made me a lot happier and would actually have had some actual use to me. So here’s my advice, if you’re thinking about buying a Labubu because it’s trending. Ask yourself — do you actually like it, or are you just chasing an aesthetic? Instead, get something you know you’ll enjoy — anything that’ll bring you more lasting joy than this expensive little gremlin that’s going to end up collecting dust on your shelf.
Because me? I bought a Labubu — and it was sooo not worth it.
Ariea Robinson is a Senior at Laguna Creek High School who, from a young age, has taken a keen interest in everything pop culture and enjoys utilizing her writing and research skills to produce quality journalism surrounding current events and trending topics. In her free time, you can catch her making plays in the dirt or with her nose buried in a book. She also enjoys indulging in self-care, always getting her hands on the newest lip gloss or face mask
