Blackpink's Lisa Goes Viral With A Labubu Plush, Sparks Frenzy Among Brits - But Will You Pay £600 For It?

A curious, toothy plush toy has captured the hearts of millions — and now, it's taken Britain by storm. Blackpink's Lisa, ever the trendsetter, has been spotted on several occasions carrying a Labubu plush, and — as expected — social media quickly went into overdrive.

Labubu — part elf, part gremlin, and entirely adorable — is a character from The Monsters, a toy line created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and produced by Chinese collectibles giant Pop Mart. Already hugely popular across Asia, Lisa's recent appearances with the quirky creature have sparked a surge of interest among British fans.

Now, collectors and casual enthusiasts alike are scrambling to get their hands on one. But if you're late to the craze, be prepared to pay a premium — some versions are already reselling for over £600 online.

What is a Labubu, Anyway?

A Labubu might look like a Halloween gremlin, but behind its jagged smile lies a whole fantasy universe. The character is one of many in The Monsters' world — a series of tiny, mischievous creatures said to dwell in Nordic forests. First imagined in 2015 by Lung, Labubu rose to greater fame when Pop Mart partnered with him in 2019 to mass-produce the toys as part of their blind box strategy.

Each toy box is sold 'blind,' meaning buyers don't know which version they get until they open it. This strategy has resulted in both excitement and frustration among buyers. In Pop Mart's latest series, Big Into Energy, Labubu comes in six brightly coloured designs, each representing a theme like Hope, Serenity or Loyalty, plus a rare hidden variant with collectors glued to restock alerts.

K-pop Influence Meets British Demand

Lisa has previously shown her love for Labubu toys during her Vanity Fair interview, where she unboxes several toys and discusses her obsession with them. However, the craze around them began when, during Coachella, Lisa shared an image of herself with a Labubu keychain, and just like that, the soft toy was catapulted from niche fandom to must-have status. On her Instagram, she also shared a picture of her bandmate Rosé holding a Labubu as well and soon, interest spiked not just in Asia, but across Europe, including the UK.

The plush's mix of cuteness and cool, combined with celebrity backing, has sparked comparisons to earlier phenomena like Beanie Babies and Funko Pops. A Singapore-based collector, Amy Melissa, put it simply: 'As a huge Blink, I'm heavily influenced by K-pop idols when it comes to fashion and lifestyle, so naturally, I was immediately intrigued.'

Meanwhile, British K-pop fans, already known for adopting Korean beauty and fashion trends, have begun chasing the toys. According to a report by the Daily Mail, on Saturday, many adult admirers of the toy turned up outside the Pop Mart in London and waited in line for almost 5 hours to get their favourite Labubus.

With domestic Pop Mart stock often selling out, many have turned to resale sites, where markups are steep, especially for rare editions.

Are People Really Paying £600 for This?

Yes — and often more. While standard blind-box Labubus still cost around the £10–£15 mark at release, those prices vanish fast once stock runs dry. On the secondary market, especially for limited drops or rare editions, figures commonly list for £300 to £600 — and even higher.

But the question is, why are people paying such a high amount for a toy? The answer lies in the element of surprise. Blind boxes and the limited nature of each series have turned Labubu collecting into a high-stakes pursuit. Rare editions can be nearly impossible to find in-store. One of the most coveted variants, simply called 'Secret,' has just a 1.4% chance of appearing in a blind box. It's currently up for auction on StockX for nearly $2,000 (£1,600).

Speaking to Business Times, Dr Hannah Chang, associate professor of marketing at Singapore Management University, said, 'Pop Mart taps into human psychology brilliantly. The blind-box concept and limited editions create a sense of scarcity and surprise that fuels demand.'

There's also a deeper consumer dynamic at play. As Dr Chang notes, 'The secondary market undermines Pop Mart's blind-box strategy, since buyers can now skip the gamble and purchase the exact figure they want, risk-free.' But for many, that risk — and the thrill of the chase — is precisely the point.

Thanks to Lisa's influence, what started as a toy now commands luxury-level prices and has become a status symbol donned by stars like Dua Lipa and Rihanna.