China Memes & Viral
Before the Xi-Biden Meeting: Chinese Social Media Views of American President Biden
From being dubbed the ‘Sleepy King’ to being hailed as ‘Revive the Country’ Biden, the US President is perceived in various ways on Chinese social media.

Published
2 years agoon

From positive portrayals by official channels to online banter and critical voices discussing Biden’s global policies and his health, there are various sentiments on Chinese social media surrounding US President Joe Biden ahead of the significant Xi-Biden meeting.
“It is a meeting the whole world will be watching,” one Weibo blogger wrote. On November 15, Xi Jinping and Joe Biden will meet in California on the sidelines of the APEC summit for their second face-to-face meeting since 2020. The occasion will mark Xi’s first trip to the U.S. in six years.
The topic was reported by official channels on Chinese social media using different hashtags, such as “Sino-American Heads of State Meeting” (#中美元首会晤#) and “What Major Issues Will Be Discussed During the Sino-U.S. Summit?” (#中美元首会晤将沟通哪些重大问题#).
The two leaders are expected to discuss various bilateral and global issues. Although Chinese media described the goal of the meetings in very general terms, saying Xi and Biden will talk about “strategic, global, and directional issues concerning China-U.S. relations as well as major matters related to world peace,” US officials said that topics will include the Israel-Hamas war, Taiwan, and the war in Ukraine.
While discussions of this nature, particularly on geopolitical matters, are typically closely monitored on Weibo—especially when President Xi is involved—there are still some online threads where netizens express optimism, viewing the meeting as a positive step for the stability and future of US-China relations.

A Terra Cotta warrior embraces the Statue of Liberty. Image circulating on WeChat in the days leading up to the Xi-Biden meeting.
Many of these optimistic sentiments stem from a response to an op-ed published by People’s Daily. The op-ed argues that maintaining stable relations between the US and China, fostering peaceful coexistence, is crucial for global future and world peace.
However, discussions about Biden on Chinese social media aren’t always this positive and restrained.
Biden Sleepy King
During and after the 2020 American presidential elections, there were numerous discussions on Chinese social media about ‘Trump versus Biden.’ In the eyes of many, it was a contest between the ‘King of Knowing’ (懂王) and the ‘Sleepy King’ (睡王).
These nicknames were attributed to Trump, who frequently boasted about his unparalleled understanding of various matters, and Biden, who gained notoriety for being older and tired. Viral videos, some manipulated, showed him nodding off or seemingly disoriented.

Image of ‘Sleepy King’ aka ‘Sleepy Joe Biden’ shared on Chinese Q&A platform Zhihu.com.
When Biden became president, many Chinese social media users cheered and hoped that this new experienced president, who had also faced family and personal tragedies throughout his political career, would contribute to an improvement in Sino-American relations. They expected that Biden, different from Trump, would be less confrontational and more predictable, albeit more “boring” as well.
However, as we discussed in this 2020 article, various Chinese political commentators suggested that the Biden era would not necessarily signify better relations between China and the US, and that the shift of American leadership would have no intrinsic meaning for Sino-American relations at all.
Revive the Country Biden
In recent years, Biden has come to be referred to with the Chinese nickname “Revive the Country Biden” (Bài Zhènhuá 拜振华), also translatable as ‘Thriving China Biden’. This nickname already circulated online since 2020 and matches with one that was previously given to former President Trump, namely that of “Build the Country Trump” (Chuān Jiànguó 川建国).
The idea behind these humorous monikers is that both Trump and Biden are benefitting China by doing a poor job in running the United States and dealing with China.
For instance, citing national-security concerns, both the Trump and Biden administrations have implemented policies and sanctions targeting Huawei. But despite measures to cut the Chinese tech giant off, Huawei launched its own operating system (HarmonyOS) in 2019 and earlier this year, with the launch of its Mate60Pro, introduced its own nanometer (N+2) chip, designed by Huawei’s chip division HiSilicon and manufactured by China’s largest chip vendor, SMIC.
Chinese social media users therefore joke that ‘Revive the Country Biden’ and ‘Build the Country Trump’ are actually the best Huawei brand ambassadors by pushing the Chinese tech brand to the next level.

An AI-generated image shows ‘Revive the Country Biden’ and ‘Build the Country Trump’ as Huawei brand ambassadors.

Biden the Huawei brand ambassador, via Douyin.
When Donald Trump recently mocked how President Biden often seems to be disoriented on stage, the video was picked up by a few popular Chinese bloggers and set off dozens of jokes about the absurdity of the situation.
After President Biden was filmed as he seemed unsure what to do during the November 11 wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington Cemetery, footage also went trending on Chinese socials. Some people called him a “robot” who needed new batteries.
Earlier this year, Biden also went viral in China when, while delivering a speech to the Canadian parliament, he accidentally said he “applauded China for stepping up.” He quickly corrected himself and clarified he meant to say ‘Canada’ instead of ‘China,’ but Chinese web users joked that it was a Freudian slip and he actually said what he meant.
But besides Biden’s restrictive measures and sanctions on China and a string of bizarre, confused statements and behaviors, there are more reasons why Chinese netizens have been calling him ‘Bai Zhenhua‘, ‘Revive the Country Biden.’ After all, in contrast to how Trump consistently framed China as a threat and competitor, Biden has often downplayed the threat China poses to the US (“They’re not bad folks, folks,” he said in 2019, “they’re not competition for us”).

Chinese memes about ‘Bai Zhenhua’, ‘Revive the Country Biden.’
Joking about his words, some netizens even called him ‘Comrade Bai Zhenhua.’
The Different Faces of Biden
Jokes aside, there are also more serious and negative discussions about the role played by Biden, especially in this time of global unrest and Israel-Hamas war.
Headlines such as Biden personally saying there is “no possibility” of a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip or Biden ordering new airstrikes in Syria to retaliate for attacks on U.S. bases, reported by Chinese media, attract a lot of views on Weibo and Douyin.
Although there are also discussions about the supposed limited power Biden actually has, with some calling him one of America’s weakest presidents, he is still seen as the face of the White House, the representation of Washington.

Cartoon depicting Biden as evil, by @插画杨权, 2020.
At a time when anti-American sentiments are on the rise, some netizens view Biden as embodying the negative stereotypes prevalent on social media about the United States or the Western world in general.

Photoshopped image of Biden posted on Weibo (@扎西德勒·天珠收藏 ) in light of Biden ordering new airstrikes on Syria.
Within this context, at a time when the majority of Chinese social media users express pro-Palestinian sentiments, Biden is blamed for contributing to or even causing global suffering. Some netizens label him as the “devil” or associate him with a supposed larger geopolitical evil circle (“The wicked United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Israel… they’re enemies of humanity,” one Douyin user writes).
But not all are so harsh, and some think Biden’s old state and mental state are also to blame for his political decisions. As one Weibo user writes: “After all, Biden is quite old, his health is not particularly good. With so many responsibilities, it’s inevitable that there are things he cannot fully grasp, hear clearly, or contemplate deeply anymore.”
Meanwhile, it is evident that in the days leading up the Xi-Biden meeting Chinese official channels are promoting more positive portrayals of U.S. leadership on social media, with online discussions being tightly controlled. Some media outlets refer to the meeting as ‘a new chapter’ for Sino-American friendship. A day prior to top-level meeting, Xinhua News shared an image with text endorsing and applauding Sino-American exchanges:
“History has already proven that the people of China and the US can fully overcome their differences in systems, culture, and language to establish a profound friendship. The exchanges between the people of China and America are mutually beneficial. Not only are they [these win-win exchanges] the result of independent choices made by the people of both countries, they’re also an unstoppable historical trend.” (“历史已经充分证明,中美两国人民完全可以跨越制度、文化、语言的差异,建立起深厚的友谊。中美民间交流互利共赢,不仅是两国人民做出的自主选择,更是不可阻挡的历史潮流。”)
The comments below the post were censored, and most other comment sections on posts reporting the significant US-China meeting were also empty. One Weibo user commented: “The anti-American netizens don’t know if it’s okay to criticize them now anymore.”
But it seems that directives from higher up have made it clear. For today, perhaps tomorrow, and who knows about the day after, Biden is not the evil, not the Sleepy King nor Bai Zhenhua; he is now a good friend of China.
By Manya Koetse
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Manya is the founder and editor-in-chief of What's on Weibo, offering independent analysis of social trends, online media, and digital culture in China for over a decade. Subscribe to gain access to content, including the Weibo Watch newsletter, which provides deeper insights into the China trends that matter. More about Manya at manyakoetse.com or follow on X.

China ACG Culture
The Next Labubu: What the Rise of Wakuku Tells Us About China’s Collectible Toy Wave
From ugly-cute rebellion to a new kind of ‘C-pop,’ the breakout success of Wakuku sheds light on Chinese consumer culture and the forces driving China’s trend toy industry.

Published
8 hours agoon
July 6, 2025
Wakuku is the most talked-about newcomer in China’s trend toy market. Besides its mischievous grin, what’s perhaps most noteworthy is how closely Wakuku follows the marketing success of Labubu. As the strongest new designer toy of 2025, Wakuku says a lot about China’s current creative economy — from youth-led consumer trends to hybrid business models.
As it is becoming increasingly clear that Chinese designer toy Labubu has basically conquered the world, it’s already time for the next made-in-China collectible toy to start trending on Chinese social media.
Now, the name that’s trending is Wakuku, a Chinese trend toy created by the Shenzhen-based company Letsvan.
In March 2025, a new panda-inspired Wakuku debuted at Miniso Land in Beijing, immediately breaking records and boosting overall store revenue by over 90%. Wakuku also broke daily sales records on May 17 with the launch of its “Fox-and-Bunny” collab at Miniso flagship stores in Shanghai and Nanjing. At the opening of the Miniso Space in Nanjing on June 18, another Wakuku figure sold out within just two hours. Over the past week, Wakuku went trending on Chinese social media multiple times.

From left to right: the March, May, and June successful Wakuku series/figurines
Like Labubu, Wakuku is a collectible keychain doll with a soft vinyl face and a plush body. These designer toys are especially popular among Chinese Gen Z female consumers, who use them as fashion accessories (hanging them from bags) or as desk companions.
We previously wrote in depth about the birth of Labubu, its launch by the Chinese POP MART (founded 2010), and the recipe for its global popularity in this article, so if you’re new to this trend of Chinese designer toys, you’ll want to check it out first (link).
Labubu has been making international headlines for months now, with the hype reaching a new peak when a human-sized Labubu sold for a record 1.08 million RMB (US$150,700), followed by a special edition that was purchased for nearly 760,000 RMB (US$106,000).
Now, Wakuku is the new kid on the block, and while it took Labubu nine years to win over young Chinese consumers, it barely took Wakuku a year — the character was created in 2022–2023, made its retail debut in 2024, and went viral within months.
Its pricing is affordable (59–159 RMB, around $8.2-$22) and some netizens argue it’s more quality for money.
While Labubu is a Nordic forest elf, Wakuku is a tribal jungle warrior. It comes in various designs and colors depending on the series and is sold in blind boxes (盲盒), meaning buyers don’t know exactly which design they’re getting — which adds an element of surprise.
➡️ There’s a lot to say about Wakuku, but perhaps the most noteworthy aspect is how closely it mirrors the trajectory of POP MART’s Labubu.
Wakuku’s recent success in China highlights the growing appeal and rapid rise of Chinese IPs (beyond its legal “intellectual property” meaning, ‘IPs’ is used to refer to unique cultural brands, characters, or stories that can be developed into collectibles, merchandise, and broader pop culture phenomena).
Although many critics predict that the Labubu trend will blow over soon, the popularity of Wakuku and other Labubu-like newcomers shows that these toys are not just a fleeting craze, but a cultural phenomenon that reflects the mindset of young Chinese consumers, China’s cross-industry business dynamics, and the global rise of a new kind of ‘C-pop.’
Wakuku: A Cheeky Jungle Copycat
When I say that Wakuku follows POP MART’s path almost exactly, I’m not exaggerating. Wakuku may be portrayed as a wild jungle child, but it’s definitely also a copycat.
It uses the same materials as Labubu (soft vinyl + plush), the name follows the same ABB format (Labubu, Wakuku, and the panda-themed Wakuku Pangdada), and the character story is built on a similar fantasy universe.
In fact, Letsvan’s very existence is tied to POP MART’s rise — the company was only founded in 2020, the same year POP MART, then already a decade old, went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and became a dominant industry force.
In terms of marketing, Wakuku imitates POP MART’s strategy: blind boxes, well-timed viral drops, limited-edition tactics, and immersive retail environments.
It even follows a similar international expansion model as POP MART, turning Thailand into its first stop (出海首站) — not just because of its cultural proximity and flourishing Gen Z social media market, but also because Thailand was one of the first and most successful foreign markets for Labubu.
Its success is also deeply linked to celebrity endorsement. Just as Labubu gained global traction with icons like BLACKPINK’s Lisa and Rihanna seen holding the doll, Wakuku too leans heavily on celebrity visibility and entertainment culture.
Like Labubu, Wakuku even launched its own Wakuku theme song.
Since 2024, Letsvan has partnered with Yuehua Entertainment (乐华娱乐) — one of China’s leading talent agencies — to tap into its entertainment resources and celebrity network, powering the Wakuku marketing engine. Since stars like Esther Yu (虞书欣) were spotted wearing Wakuku as a jeans hanger, demand for the doll skyrocketed. Yuehua’s founder, Du Hua (杜华), even gifted a Wakuku to David Beckham as part of its celebrity strategy.

From Beckham to Esther Yu; celebrity endorsements play a big role in the viral marketing of Wakuku.
But what’s most important in Wakuku’s success — and how it builds on Labubu — is that it fully embraces the ugly-cute (丑萌 chǒu méng) aesthetic. Wakuku has a mischievous smile, expressive eyes, a slightly crooked face, a unibrow, and freckles — fitting perfectly with what many young Chinese consumers love: expressive, anti-perfectionist characters (反精致).
“Ugly-Cute” as an Aesthetic Rebellion
Letsvan is clearly riding the wave of “ugly trend toys” (丑萌潮玩) that POP MART spent years cultivating.
🔍 Why are Chinese youth so obsessed with things that look quirky or ugly?
A recent article by the Beijing Science Center (北京科学中心) highlights how “ugly-cute” toys like Labubu and Wakuku deviate from traditional Chinese aesthetics, and reflect a deeper generational pushback against perfection and societal expectations.
The pressure young people face — in education, at work, from family expectations, and information overload — is a red thread running through how China’s Gen Z behaves as a social media user and consumer (also see the last newsletter on nostalgia core).
To cope with daily stress, many turn to softer forms of resistance, such as the “lying flat” movement or the sluggish “rat lifestyle” in which people reject societal pressures to succeed, choosing instead to do the bare minimum and live simply.
This generational pushback also extends to traditional norms around marriage, gender roles, and ideals of beauty. Designer toys like Labubu and Wakuku are quirky, asymmetrical, gender-fluid, rebellious, and reflect a broader cultural shift: a playful rejection of conformity and a celebration of personal expression, authenticity, and self-acceptance.

Another popular designer toy is Crybaby, designed by Thai designer Molly, and described as follows: “Crybaby is not a boy or a girl, it is not even just human, it represents an emotion that comes from deep within. It can be anything and everything! Laughter isn’t the only way to make you feel better, crying can be healing too. If one day, a smile can’t alleviate your problems, baby, let’s cry together.”
But this isn’t just about rejecting tradition. It’s also about seeking happiness, comfort, and surprise: emotional value. And it’s usually not brand-focused but influencer-led. What matters is the story around it and who recommends it (unless the brand becomes the influencer itself — which is what’s ultimately happening with POP MART).
One of the unofficial ambassadors of the chǒu méng ugly-cute trend is Quan Hongchan (全红婵), the teenage diving champion and Olympic gold medallist from Guangdong. Quan is beloved not just for her talent, but also for her playful, down-to-earth personality.
During the Paris Olympics, she went viral for her backpack, which was overflowing with stuffed animals (some joked she was “carrying a zoo on her back”) — and for her animal-themed slippers, including a pair of ugly fish ones.

Quan Hongchan with her Wakuku, and her backpack and slippers during her Paris Olympics days.
It’s no surprise that Quan Hongchan is now also among the celebrities boosting the popularity of the quirky Wakuku.
From Factory to Fandom: A New Kind of “C-pop” in the Making
The success of Wakuku and other similar toys shows that they’re much more than Labubu 2.0; they’re all part of a broader trend tapping into the tastes and values of Chinese youth — which also speaks to a global audience.
And this trend is serious business. POP MART is one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer brands, with a current market value of approximately $43 billion, according to Morgan Stanley.
No wonder everyone wants a piece of the ‘Labubu pie,’ from small vendors to major companies.
It’s not just the resellers of authentic Labubu dolls who are profiting from the trend — so are the sellers of ‘Lafufu,’ a nickname for counterfeit Labubu dolls, that have become ubiquitous on e-commerce platforms and in toy markets (quite literally).
Wakuku’s rapid rise is also a story of calculated imitation. In this case, copying isn’t seen as a flaw but as smart market participation.
The founding team behind Letsvan already had a decade of experience in product design before setting out on their journey to become a major player in China’s popular designer toy and character merchandise market.
But their real breakthrough came in early 2025, when QuantaSing (量子之歌), a leading adult learning ed-tech company with no previous ties to toys, acquired a 61% stake in the company.
With QuantaSing’s financial backing, Yuehua Entertainment’s marketing power, and Miniso’s distribution reach, Wakuku took it to the next level.
The speed and precision with which Letsvan, QuantaSing, and Wakuku moved to monetize a subcultural trend — even before it fully peaked — shows just how advanced China’s trend toy industry has become.
This is no longer just about cute (or ugly-cute) designs; it’s about strategic ecosystems by ‘IP factories,’ from concept and design to manufacturing and distribution, blind-box scarcity tactics, immersive store experiences, and influencer-led viral campaigns — all part of a roadmap that POP MART refined and is now adopted by many others finding their way into this lucrative market. Their success is powered by the strength of China’s industrial & digital infrastructure, along with cross-industry collaboration.
The rise of Chinese designer toy companies reminds of the playbook of K-pop entertainment companies — with tight control over IP creation, strong visual branding, carefully engineered virality, and a deep understanding of fandom culture. (For more on this, see my earlier explanation of the K-pop success formula.)
If K-pop’s global impact is any indication, China’s designer toy IPs are only beginning to show their potential. The ecosystems forming around these products — from factory to fandom — signal that Labubu and Wakuku are just the first wave of a much larger movement.
– By Manya Koetse
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China ACG Culture
Inside the Labubu Craze and the Globalization of Chinese Designer Toys
Labubu is not ‘Chinese’ at all—and at the same time, it is very much a product of present-day China.

Published
4 weeks agoon
June 8, 2025
Labubu – the hottest toy of 2025 – is making headlines everywhere these days. The little creature is all over TikTok, and from New York to Bangkok and Dubai, people are lining up for hours to get their hands on the popular keyring doll.
In the UK, the Labubu hype has gone so far that its maker temporarily pulled the toys from all of its stores for “safety reasons,” following reports of customers fighting over them. In the Netherlands, the sole store where fans can buy the toys also had to hire extra security to manage the crowds, and Chinese customs authorities have intensified their efforts to prevent the dolls from being smuggled out of the country.
While the Labubu craze had slightly cooled in China compared to its initial peak, the character remains hugely popular and surged back into the top trending charts with the launch of POP MART’s Labubu 3.0 series in late April 2025 (which instantly sold out).
Following the global popularity of the Chinese game Black Myth: Wukong, state media are citing Labubu as another example of a successful Chinese cultural export—calling it ‘a benchmark for China’s pop culture’ and viewing its success as a sign of the globalization of Chinese designer toys.
But how ‘Chinese’ is Labubu, really? Here’s a closer look at its cultural identity and the story behind the trend.
The Journey to Labubu
In the perhaps unlikely case you have never heard of Labubu, I’ll explain: it’s a keyring toy with a naughty and, frankly, somewhat bizarre face and gremlin-like appearance that comes in various colors and variations. It’s mainly loved by young (Gen Z) women, who like to hang the toys on their bags or just keep them as collectibles.
The figurine is based on a character created by renowned Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung (龍家昇/龙家升, born 1972), whose work is inspired by Nordic legends of elves.

Kasung Lung, image via Bangkok Post.
Lung’s story is quite inspirational, and very international.
As a child, Lung immigrated to the Netherlands with his parents. Struggling to learn Dutch, young Kasing was given plenty of picture books. The picture books weren’t just a way to connect with his new environment, it also sparked a lifelong love for illustration.
Among Kasing’s favorite books were Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and those by Edward Gorey — all full of fantasy, with some scary elements and artistic quality.
Later, as his Dutch improved, Kasing became an avid reader and turned into a true bookworm. The many fantasy novels and legendary tales he devoured planted the seed for creating his own world of elves and mythical creatures.

Kasing as a young boy on the right, and one of his children’s illustration books on the left.
After initially returning to Hong Kong in the 1990s, Lung later moved back to the Netherlands and eventually settled in Belgium.
Following a journey of many rejections and persistence, he began publishing his own illustrations and picture books for the European market.

Image via Sina.
In 2010, Hong Kong toy brand How2work’s Howard Lee reached out to Lung. One of How2work’s missions is cultivating creative talent and supporting the Hong Kong art scene. Lee invited Kasung to turn his illustrations into 3D, collectible figurines. Kasung, a collector of Playmobil figures since childhood, agreed to the collaboration for the sake of curiosity and creativity.
Lung’s partnership with How2work marked a transition to toy designer, although Lung also continued to stay active as an illustrator. Besides his own “Max is moe” (Max is tired) picture book, he also did illustrations for a series by renowned Belgian author Brigitte Minne (Lizzy leert zwemmen, Lizzy leert dansen).
A few years later, Lung introduced what would become known as The Monsters Trilogy: a fantasy universe populated by elf-like creatures. Much like The Smurfs, the Monsters formed a tribe of distinct characters, each with their own personalities and traits, led by a tribal leader named Zimomo.
With its quirky appearance, sharp teeth, and mischievous grin, Labubu stood out as one of the long-eared elves.
When Labubu Met POPMART
Although the Labubu character has been around since 2015, it took some time to gain fame. It wasn’t until Labubu became part of POP MART’s (泡泡玛特) toy lineup in 2019 that it began reaching a mass audience.
POP MART is a Chinese company specializing in artsy toys, figurines, and trendy, pop culture-inspired goods. Founded in 2010 by a then college student, the brand launched with a mission to “light up passion and bring joy,” with a particular focus on young female consumers (15-30 age group) (Wang 2023).
One of POP MART’s most iconic art toy characters—and its first major commercial success—is Molly, designed by Hong Kong artist Kenny Wong in collaboration with How2work.
Prices vary depending on the toy, but small figurines start as low as 34 RMB (about US$5), while collectibles can go as high as 5,999 yuan (US$835). Resellers often charge significantly more.

Pop Mart and its first major commercial success: Molly (source).
POP MART is more than just a store, it’s an operational platform that covers the entire chain of trendy toys, from product development to retail and marketing (Liu 2025).
Within a decade of opening it first store in Beijing, POP MART experienced explosive growth, expanded globally, and was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
The enormous success of POP MART has been the subject of countless marketing studies, drawing various conclusions about how the company managed to hit such a cultural and commercial sweet spot beyond its mere focus on female Gen Z consumers.
🎁 Gamifying consumption | One common conclusion about the success of POP MART, is that it offers more than just products—it offers an experience. At the heart of the brand is its signature blind box model, where customers purchase mystery boxes from specific product lines without knowing which item is inside. Those who are lucky enough will unpack a special ‘hidden edition.’ Originating in Japanese capsule toy culture, this element of surprise gamifies the shopping experience, makes it more shareable on social media, and fuels the desire to complete collections or hunt for rare figures through repeat purchases.
🌍 Creating a POP MART universe | Although POP MART has partnerships with major international brands such as Disney, Marvel, and Snoopy, it places a strong focus on developing its own intellectual property (IP) toys and figurines. In doing so, POP MART has created a universe of original characters, giving them a life beyond the store through things like collaborations, art shows and exhibitions, and even its own theme park in Beijing.
💖 Emotional consumption | What makes POP MART particularly irresistible to so many consumers is the emotional appeal of its toys and collectibles. It taps into nostalgia, cuteness, and aesthetic charm. The toys become companions, either as a desktop buddy or travel buddy. Much of the toys’ value lies in their role as social currency, driven by hype, emotional gratification, and a sense of social bonding and identity (Ge 2024).
The man behind POP MART and its strategy is founder and CEO Wang Ning (王宁), a former street dance champion (!) and passionate entrepreneur with a clear vision for the company. He consistently aims to discover the next iconic design, something that could actually rival Mickey Mouse or Hello Kitty.
In past interviews, Wang has discussed how consumer values are gradually shifting. The rise of niche toys into the mainstream, he says, reflects this transformation. Platforms like Douyin, China’s strong e-commerce infrastructure, and the digital era more broadly have all contributed to changing attitudes, where people are increasingly buying not for utility, but for the sake of happy moments.
While Wang Ning dreams of a more joyful world, he also knows how to make money (with a net worth of $20.3 billion USD, it was actually just announced that he’s Henan’s richest person now)—every new artist and toy design under POP MART is carefully researched and strategically evaluated before being signed.
Labubu’s journey before its POP MART partnership had already shown its appeal: Kasing Lung and How2Work had built a small but loyal fanbase pre-2019. But it was through the power of POP MART that Labubu really reached global fame.
Labubu: Most Wanted
Riding the wave of POP MART’s global expansion, Labubu became a breakout success, eventually evolving into a global phenomenon and cultural icon.
Now, celebrities around the world are flaunting their Labubus, further fueling the hype—from K-pop star Lisa Manobal to Thai Princess Sirivannavari and Barbadian singer Rihanna.
In China, one of the most-discussed topics on social media recently is the staggering resale price of the Labubu dolls.

Third edition of the beloved Labubu series titled “Big into energy” (Image via Pop Mart Hong Kong).
“The 99 yuan [$13.75] Labubu blind box is being hyped up to 2,600 yuan [$360]” (#99元Labubu隐藏款被炒至2600元#), Fengmian News recently reported.
Labubu collaborations and limited editions are even more expensive. Some, like the Labubu x Vans edition, originally retailed for 599 yuan ($83) and are now listed for as much as 14,800 yuan ($2,055).
Recently, Taiwanese singer and actor Jiro Wang (汪东城) posted a video venting his frustration over scalpers buying up all the Labubus and reselling them at outrageous prices. “It’s infuriating!” he said. “I can’t even buy one myself!” (#汪东城批Labubu黄牛是恶人#).
One Weibo hashtag asks: “Who is actually buying these expensive Labubus?” (#几千块的Labubu到底谁在买#).
Turns out—many people are.
Not only is Labubu adored and collected by millions, an entire subculture has emerged around the toy. Especially in China, where Labubu was famous before, the monster is now entering a new phase: playful customization. Fans are using the toy as a canvas to tell new stories and deepen their emotional connection, transforming Labubu from a collectible into a DIY project.

Labubu getting braces and net outfits – evolving from collectible to DIY project.
There’s a growing trend of dressing Labubu in designer couture or dynastic costumes (Taobao offers a wide array of outfits), but fans are going further—customizing flower headbands, adorning their dolls with tooth gems, or even giving them orthodontic braces for their famously crooked teeth (#labubu牙套#).
In online communities, some fans have gone as far as creating dedicated generative AI agents for Labubu, allowing others to generate images of the character in various outfits, environments, and scenarios.

Labubu AI by Mewpie.
It’s no longer just the POP MART universe—it’s the Labubu universe now.
“Culturally Odorless”
So, how ‘Chinese’ is Labubu really? Actually, Labubu is not ‘Chinese’ at all—and at the same time, it is very much a product of present-day China.
🌍 Not Chinese at all
Like other famous IP characters, from the Dutch Miffy to Japan’s Pikachu and Hello Kitty, Labubu is “culturally odorless,” a term used to refer to how cultural features of the country of invention are absent from the product itself.
The term was coined by Japanese scholar Koichi Iwabuchi to describe how Japanese media products—particularly in animation—are designed or marketed to minimize identifiable Japanese cultural traits. This erasure of “Japaneseness” helped anime (from Astro Boy to Super Mario and Pokémon) become a globally appealing and commercially successful cultural export, especially in post-WWII America and beyond.
Moreover, by avoiding culturally or nationally specific traits, these creations are placed in a kind of fantasy realm, detached from real-world identities. Somewhat ironically, it is precisely this neutrality that has made Japanese IPs so distinctively recognizable as “Japanese” (Du 2019, 15).
Many Labubu fans probably also don’t see the toy as “Chinese” at all—there are no obvious cultural references in its design. Its style and fantasy feel are arguably closer to Japanese anime than anything tied to Chinese identity.
When a Weibo blogger recently argued that Labubu’s international rise represents a more powerful example of soft power than DeepSeek, one popular reply asked: “But what’s Chinese about it?”
🇨🇳 Actually very Chinese
Yet, Labubu is undeniably a product of today’s China—not necessarily because of Kasing Lung (Hong Kong/Dutch/Belgian) or How2work (Hong Kong), but because of the Beijing-based POP MART.
Wang Ning’s POP MART is a true product of its time, inspired by and aligned with China’s new wave of digital startups. From Bytedance to Xiaohongshu and Bilibili, many of China’s most innovative companies move beyond horizontal product offerings or traditional service goals. Instead, they think vertically and break out of the box—evolving into entire ecosystems of their own. (Fun fact: the entrepreneurs behind these companies were all born in the 1980s, between 1983 and 1989).
In that sense, state media like People’s Daily calling Labubu “a benchmark of China’s pop culture” isn’t off the mark.
Still, some marketing critics argue there’s room for more ‘Chineseness’ in Labubu and POP MART’s brand-building strategies—particularly through collections inspired by Chinese heritage, which could further promote national culture on the global stage (Wang 2023).
Meanwhile, Chinese official channels have already begun positioning Labubu as a cultural ambassador. In the summer of 2024, a life-sized Labubu doll embarked on a four-day tour of Thailand to celebrate the 50th anniversary of China–Thailand diplomatic relations.

The life-sized mascot of a popular Chinese toy character, Labubu, visited Bangkok landmarks and was named “Amazing Thailand Experience Explorer” to boost Chinese tourism. Photo Credit: Facebook/Pop Mart, via TrvelWeekly Asia.
In the future, Labubu, just like Hello Kitty in Japan, is likely to become the face of more campaigns promoting tourism and cross-cultural exchange.
Whatever happens next, it’s undeniable that Labubu stands at the forefront of a breakthrough moment for Chinese designer toys in the global market, and, from that position, serves as a unique ambassador for a new wave of Chinese creative exports that resonate with international audiences.
For now, most Labubu fans, however, don’t care about all of that – they are still on the hunt for the next little monster, and that’s enough to keep the Labubu hype burning.🔥
By Manya Koetse
(follow on X, LinkedIn, or Instagram)
References (other sources included in hyperlinks)
• Du, Daisy Yan. 2019. Animated Encounters: Transnational Movements of Chinese Animation, 1940-1970s. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
• Ge, Tongyu. 2024. “The Role of Emotional Value of Goods in Guiding Consumer Behaviour: A Case Study Based on Pop Mart.” Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Education Innovation and Philosophical Inquiries. DOI: 10.54254/2753-7048/54/20241623.
• Liu, Enyong. 2025. “Analysis of Marketing Strategies of POP MART,” Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Financial Technology and Business Analysis DOI: 10.54254/2754-1169/149/2024.
• Wang, Zitao. 2023. “A Case Study of POP MART Marketing Strategy.” Proceedings of the 2023 International Conference on Management Research and Economic Development. DOI: 10.54254/2754-1169/20/
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