Labubu hype hits new heights with RM600k mega sale
Published on: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025
By: Reuters Text Size: The human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before the auction. – Tingshu Wang | Reuters BEIJING: A Beijing auction house sold a human-sized Labubu figure for 1.08 million yuan (RM636,792.20) on Tuesday, setting a new record for the "blind box" toy as it moves from craze to collectible. The event held by Yongle International Auction, which traditionally specialises in modern art as well as jewellery, marked the first ever auction dedicated to Labubu, toothy monster figurines that are mainly sold by China's toy company Pop Mart, opens new tab and have been at the centre of a global frenzy for the past year.
Advertisement The auction offered 48 lots for sale and was attended in person by roughly 200 people, while over a thousand bidders put down offers via Yongle's mobile app, the auction house said. The starting price for all the items started at zero and it eventually raised a total of 3.73 million yuan. The highest grossing item, a mint green, 131 cm (4.3 feet) tall Labubu figure, received several bids to sell for 1.08 million yuan. The auctioneer said it was the only one available in the world. A set of three Labubu sculptures, about 40 cm tall and made of PVC material, sold for 510,000 yuan. The set, from a series called "Three Wise Labubu", was limited to a run of 120 sets in 2017 and another one sold for HKD 203,200 (RM109,707.30) at Sotheby's most recent auction in Hong Kong. Labubu was created a decade ago by Hong Kong artist and illustrator Kasing Lung. In 2019, Lung agreed to let them be sold by Pop Mart, a Chinese toy company that markets collectable figurines often sold in "blind boxes". A buyer of a blind box toy does not know exactly what design they will receive until they open the packaging. The starting price for Labubu blind box toys sold in Pop Mart's stores is around 50 yuan. The character's popularity skyrocketed after Lisa of the Korean pop music group Blackpink was spotted with a Labubu and praised the doll in interviews and online posts. Many celebrities followed. In May, British football star David Beckham shared a photo on Instagram of his Labubu attached to a bag. One Yongle auction bidder, a restaurant owner who only gave her surname as Du, said she had planned to spend a maximum of 20,000 yuan but walked away empty handed as the final prices were too high. "My child likes it so every time when Labubu released new products we will buy one or two items. It is hard to explain its popularity but it must have moved this generation," she said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
35 minutes ago
- The Star
Soccer-Miami World Cup officials play down travel concerns a year from kick-off
(Reuters) -As a gleaming clock began ticking towards the 2026 World Cup, Miami officials launched the city's one-year countdown seeking to allay fears that America's stricter immigration stance could deter the overseas fans that it hopes to attract. The celebratory unveiling on Wednesday, featuring singer Marc Anthony, came just days after unrest in Los Angeles and amid the implementation of stricter border controls under President Donald Trump's administration. "I don't think anybody has anything to be afraid of. Miami is an incredibly welcoming place, and we're very excited to welcome the world," Alina T. Hudak, president of the 2026 Miami Host Committee, said at the countdown event. The digital clock, soon to greet travellers at Miami International Airport, marks 365 days until the start of the biggest World Cup in history — 48 teams playing 104 matches across three North American nations. However, security arrangements have drawn particular scrutiny, especially regarding the involvement of immigration enforcement agencies. Rodney Barreto, co-chair of the Miami Host Committee, confirmed that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be involved in security operations. "They will be there to support us with security, but not to capture people," he said. At Fiorito, an Argentine restaurant in Miami's Little Haiti neighbourhood, fans of the South American nation's defending champions expressed confidence that their countrymen would travel regardless of restrictions. "Wherever the World Cup is, it's great ... We're excited about being world champions and we can do much more," Argentina supporter Nicolas Lomazzi told Reuters. "What matters here is money, and they're going to make a lot with the World Cup, so they'll open the door for us all," added Emmanuel, an Argentina supporter hopeful of witnessing what could be captain Lionel Messi's final World Cup appearance. For Miami, a city shaped by successive waves of immigration, hosting the tournament represents a delicate balancing act — showcasing its multicultural identity while navigating an increasingly complex immigration landscape that threatens the smooth running of the biggest World Cup yet. (Writing by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Judge in Harvey Weinstein trial declares mistrial on rape charge following sex abuse conviction
Harvey Weinstein's case continues with his retrial in New York, June 11, 2025 Steven Hirsch/Pool via REUTERS (Reuters) -The judge overseeing Harvey Weinstein's criminal trial in Manhattan on Thursday declared a mistrial on a rape charge against the former Hollywood movie mogul, after one of the jurors refused to continue deliberations. The mistrial came a day after the jury convicted Weinstein on a separate sex abuse charge. It also acquitted him on a different sex abuse charge. Weinstein, once one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood, faced a retrial that began on April 23 after a New York state appeals court last year overturned his 2020 conviction. He was accused by prosecutors in this case of raping an aspiring actress and assaulting two other women. Weinstein, 73, pleaded not guilty and has denied assaulting anyone or having non-consensual sex. The jury found Weinstein guilty on one of the three counts he faced, which stemmed from his alleged assault of former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006. The jury found Weinstein not guilty of a charge stemming from his alleged assault of Kaja Sokola in 2002 when she was a 16-year-old aspiring actress. Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber declared a mistrial after the judge said the jury could not reach a verdict on a third count, which charged him with raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013. Weinstein faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced. He has separately been sentenced to 16 years in prison following a rape conviction in California. In a startling development on Wednesday, the jury foreperson told Farber that other members of the panel were shouting at him and threatening him for refusing to change his vote on the rape count. Farber sent jurors home for the day to give them time to cool down and instructed the foreperson to arrive in court separately on Thursday. In closing arguments on June 3, the prosecution told the 12 jurors that the evidence showed how Weinstein used his power and influence to trap and abuse women. The defense countered that the accusers lied on the witness stand out of spite after their consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer failed to result in Hollywood stardom. A jury found Weinstein guilty in February 2020 of raping Mann and sexually assaulting Haley. Sokola's allegation was not part of that case. The conviction was a milestone for the #MeToo movement, which encouraged women to come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct by powerful men. But the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, threw out that conviction in April 2024. It said the trial judge erred by letting women testify that Weinstein had assaulted them, though their accusations were not the basis of the criminal charges. Though the conviction was thrown out, Weinstein, who has had a litany of health problems in recent years and attended the retrial in a wheelchair, has remained behind bars because of his California conviction. He is appealing that verdict. More than 100 women, including famous actresses, have accused Weinstein of misconduct. He co-founded the Miramax studio, whose hit movies included such Academy Award winners as "Shakespeare in Love" and "Pulp Fiction." Weinstein's own eponymous film studio filed for bankruptcy in March 2018, five months after sexual misconduct accusations against him became widely publicized. (Reporting by Jack Queen in New York; Editing by Mark Porter)
Daily Express
15 hours ago
- Daily Express
TAR UMT to hold Music Fiesta 6.0 in September
Published on: Thursday, June 12, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jun 12, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Malaysian singer Firdhaus entertaining the crowd at last year's Music Fiesta. (TAR UMT pic) PETALING JAYA: Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) is organising a music concert and carnival in September which will feature several local artistes. Music Fiesta 6.0, which will run from Sept 17 to 21 from 10am to 10pm, coincides with the grand opening of TAR UMT's soon-to-be-completed six-storey student centre. Advertisement Naomi Teoh, who is part of the Music Fiesta 6.0 organising committee, said the event aims to bring students, staff, and the wider public together to celebrate the state-of-the-art student complex. 'This is more than just a building. It's a space for students to express themselves, to unwind, and to build memories that will last beyond graduation,' Teoh told FMT. The 1.5 million sq ft student centre will house classrooms, recreational areas, and an outdoor sports area on the roof, as well as 1,400 parking spots. Teoh said the building represents a significant advancement in TAR UMT's efforts to create an optimal learning environment. She said last year's concert, which saw the likes of Firdaus and Diorlying, drew over 2,000 attendees. The concert for this year's edition will be held on Sept 19 from 5.30pm to 10pm. FMT is a media partner of Music Fiesta 6.0. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
