Labubu fakes snatch high premiums amid strong demand
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South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong branch of Chiikawa-themed ramen restaurant to open on Saturday
The first overseas branch of a Chiikawa-themed ramen restaurant will open this week in Hong Kong, with its operator betting on the Japanese manga character's strong fan base and customers' desire for novel dining experiences despite the current slump in the city's catering sector. Chiikawa Ramen Buta will launch in Mong Kok on August 16, bucking a wave of restaurant closures in Hong Kong in recent months. But all seats at the eatery for its first two weeks were fully booked even before its opening day. The new restaurant is part of a bigger campaign in the city on Chiikawa. The term means 'small and cute' in Japanese and is the name of the titular mouse-like character created by manga artist Nagano. Located on the 12th floor of Langham Place in Mong Kok, the eatery has 87 seats, making it larger than the four existing branches in Japan. 'We believe it is something unique to the market,' said Willie Hu, co-founder of Flames Concepts, a restaurant operator that collaborated with the Japanese department store company Parco to launch the eatery. 'With this project, we recognise the fan base and the attractions beyond the food. People come here more for the experiences.'
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
What makes Labubu so lovable? The psychology behind ‘ugly cute' appeal
On August 8, a two-year-old hairless English-French bulldog mix named Petunia waddled across the stage at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Santa Rosa, California, to claim the US$5,000 top prize at this year's World's Ugliest Dog Contest. Petunia's wrinkly skin and pug-like face might not be conventionally cute but, like the nine other competing dogs, they still sparked a familiar reaction: the uncontrollable urge to scoop her up like a baby. A dog named Petunia wins the annual World's Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Santa Rosa, California, on August 8. Photo: Reuters This strange affection has a name: ugly cute. One of its earliest homes online was the subreddit r/uglycute, a community of fewer than 200 members sharing goofy, quirky images of animals, mostly pets, 'so ugly, they're cute'. Created in 2013 and relatively inactive for years, the forum has stayed small but the aesthetic it celebrates has since exploded across the internet, fuelled by the rise of its latest mascot: Labubu Advertisement Labubu, an elflike doll with a toothy grin and large ears, has ignited a global frenzy since gaining mainstream attention around 2024. Designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung , the figure has become the poster child for the ugly-cute craze. Shoppers walk by a collection of Labubu toys in a Pop Mart outlet in Hangzhou, China, in July. Photo: Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images) And Labubu isn't alone. Its creepy cousin Fuggler dolls, with their gremlin looks and disturbingly human teeth, have also surged in popularity. British toy trade magazine Toy World reports a 247 per cent rise in sales in the UK this past year, as more collectors lean into the same offbeat appeal. But what exactly makes something ugly … adorable? Scientists point to 'baby schema', a set of facial traits – large eyes, round cheeks and small nose – that trigger an instinctive caretaking response in humans. It's an evolutionary reflex that helped infants survive, now hijacked by dolls, pets and memes. A 2009 study titled 'Baby Schema in Infant Faces Induces Cuteness Perception and Motivation for Caretaking in Adults' helped codify the phenomenon. Various colourful Fuggler dolls, which are distinctive for their unnerving, human-like teeth. Photo: @fugglers/Instagram Even the blobfish, once dubbed the ugliest animal alive after an image of the deep-sea fish out of water went viral in 2003, was voted New Zealand's 'fish of the year' this March.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- South China Morning Post
China boy smashes glass ceiling, chandelier worth total of US$56,000 in Labubu tantrum
A Chinese influencer has revealed that a petulant child who was upset at being refused a Labubu toy shattered a glass ceiling and smashed a crystal chandelier, causing more than 400,000 yuan (US$56,000) of damage. Advertisement However, the child's parents offered just 20,000 yuan (US$2,800) in compensation, saying they were too poor to pay. incident attracted public attention after a male influencer, known online as 'Little Azheng', or 'Tail Brother', told on social media how a relative had visited his home with a young boy. The youngster flew into a damaging rage after his request for the jewellery-laden Labubu was turned down. Photo: Red Note During the visit, the boy noticed the influencer's Labubu doll adorned with expensive jewellery and threw a tantrum, demanding the toy for himself. When his request was denied, the boy 'made a big fuss' and began to cry and cause a scene. In a fit of rage, he grabbed a remote-control device and hurled it into the air, shattering the mirror-glass ceiling of the living room, which was valued at 100,000 yuan (US$14,000). Advertisement He also damaged a valuable Italian crystal chandelier, estimated to be worth 300,000 yuan (US$42,000). Photos shared by the influencer showed shards of glass scattered across the floor and the shattered chandelier lying on the ground.
