
Labubu is not just demonic, it is cursed? A list of internet's most unhinged conspiracy theories about the most wanted viral doll
The internet thinks Labubu is possessed, here is why
It all started on July 2, when a notorious fake-news peddler decided to ruin everyone's day by calling the Labubu doll a vessel of dark energy. According to a video now doing rounds in Russian (yes, it has gone international), Labubu is apparently part of a sinister voodoo ritual designed to hypnotise children and 'alter their psyches.' Dramatic much?
The video claims some Western parents have noticed their children acting weird after buying the doll. Think: creepy attachment, altered behaviour, and intense mood swings. And in true internet fashion, this chaos has now been linked to an episode of The Simpsons (because of course it has).
labubu are demonic creatures sent by satan himself pic.twitter.com/zvBVcCUE7g
From Hong Kong fairy tale to hellspawn in 10 seconds flat
Let us rewind. Labubu is not the spawn of Satan—it is the brainchild of Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung, who created it in 2015 for a whimsical book called The Monsters. The design? A big-eyed forest creature inspired by Northern European folklore. The message? Pure fantasy vibes.
Labubu = PazuzuDo not invite demons into your home. pic.twitter.com/cGX7ut6jXa
Pop Mart took Labubu mainstream in 2019, and suddenly it was not just a toy, it was a collector's obsession. Teenagers, adults, fashionistas, you name it, they wanted it. That is when critics started chirping on social media, claiming Labubu looks demonic, even comparing it to the ancient Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu. (Spoiler: they look nothing alike.)
And…they're demonic. In fact Labubu is inspired by real and terrifying ancient Mesopotamian entity — Pazuzu — that was depicted in William Friedkin's 1973 'The Exorcist.'It's important to point out that Pazuzu is considered King of the demons of the wind, particularly… https://t.co/qlEJ8NvlM4 pic.twitter.com/c3UuwIDIYO
The Simpsons and satanic panic? This is peak viral
The viral claim that The Simpsons predicted Labubu's chaos hinges on Season 29, Episode 4, where a statue of Pazuzu appears. Internet theorists insist this proves Labubu's 'evil spirit energy' was forecasted years ago. Except—the statue does not even resemble Labubu, and the plot is just standard cartoon spookiness.
The first look at it and I found something utterly disturbing about the Labubu dolls. They looked evil disguised as cute to me. I was so put off by them that I actually searched the internet, only to find that the Simpsons had predicted Labubus too, as Pazuzu. 👿 pic.twitter.com/q8xQn49uo0
This kind of 'Simpsons predicted it' energy has become internet folklore, and most of it is just, well… nonsense. As usual, fact-checkers have confirmed the connections are fabricated.
Children getting obsessed? Not exactly groundbreaking
Experts have stepped in to say that children forming deep attachments to toys is completely normal. It is a concept known in psychology as a 'transitional object' and helps kids handle stress. In other words, your kid loving Labubu is not a sign of demonic possession, it is just childhood.
Also, Labubu is not even meant for toddlers. It is mostly for older teens and collectors. So the hysteria? Definitely not based on facts.

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The Hindu
8 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Sanjay Garg, Hanut Singh and India Art Fair to host Incandescent 2.0 in Hyderabad
Textile designer Sanjay Garg and jewellery designer Hanut Singh will present Incandescent 2.0, a meeting point of art, textiles and jewellery, in collaboration with the India Art Fair. Sanjay's flagship store Raw Mango will host an all-day exhibition curated by Belgian designer and stylist, Isla Maria Van Damme. The first edition of Incandescent was held in Delhi in 2023, showcasing Hanut's jewellery with global aesthetics and Sanjay's contemporary line of saris and garments worked upon by craft clusters in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Varanasi. Antique marble statues were used to display the statement jewellery pieces. Hanut, whose jewellery has adorned personalities such as Madonna, Meryl Streep, Rihanna, Beyoncé and Kareena Kapoor, says working with Raw Mango and the India Art Fair 'introduces structure, scale, and systems that are different from my usual rhythm. These collaborations also help me see my own work through a different lens, reframing how it's presented and how people engage with it.' Sanjay does not look at art, design, fashion and culture as compartmentalised silos: 'Design is not just fashion and what's visual. The idea of design is to create experiences that spark conversations on culture, heritage and history.' Hanut, who hails from the Karputhala royal family in Punjab, reflects on his shared interests with Sanjay: 'Many of my pieces are drawn from my time in the hills — their stillness, their organic forms, and that sense of awe at what reveals itself unexpectedly. For Sanjay too, Nature is a grounding force. You can see it in the way his Hyderabad store is anchored in a forest-like atmosphere.' In his first showcase in the city, Hanut will be presenting a mix of classics and current explorations. 'One of the standout pieces for me is the emerald windchimes; they combine technical artistry, with emeralds cut into delicate triangles, and a sense of lightness, movement, and balance.' Hanut's design inspirations range from history to architecture and Nature, reflected as forms of daggers, swords, or leaves. Sanjay and Hanut first collaborated for Raw Mango's 2021 collection, Romantics. Sanjay recalls, 'The collection was rooted in European influence on Indian saris. Textiles drew from the Rococo period, developing a new language of botanicals — flora and fauna — in woven form. It's the same distinctly European language that influences Hanut's work, it made perfect sense.' Hanut says that their interests, rooted in craft, heritage, modernity, and luxury, helped them complement each other's work. 'Our languages may not seem like obvious companions at first glance, mine more maximal and Sanjay more of a minimalist, but they sit beautifully together — both drawing from the past while reimagining it for the present, with an eye to the future.' They also discovered that they had clients in common — Kiran Rao, Mira Nair, and Karisma Kapoor. Hanut says, 'So perhaps the challenge isn't in the aesthetics themselves, but in the wearer — in whether she has the confidence to mix genres. Many of the women who inspire me, like Gayatri Devi or my grandmother, Sita Devi, did exactly that, pairing their chiffons with Cartier or Boucheron, rather than jadau or more traditional forms.' Sanjay adds that the curation of found objects and textiles reflects how their perspectives exist together. As for choosing Hyderabad for the exhibition, Sanjay says it was one of Raw Mango's earliest markets. 'The city is an interesting mix of history and modernity. It is one of the most multicultural cities in the south — cosmopolitan, multilinguistic, even with their food.' (Incandescent 2.0 will be on view at Raw Mango store, road no.1, Banjara Hills, on August 6)


The Hindu
38 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Is Labubu mania still going strong or has India moved on? And how do you snag one?
They are small, mischievous, and impossible to ignore. With their fang-toothed grins and pointy ears, Labubus — once just quirky vinyl toys — have unexpectedly become 2025's 'It' accessory. No longer the preserve of toy collectors, these blind-box figurines are now dangling from luxury bags, trading hands across continents, and powering a global consumer craze. Labubu first sprang to life in 2015 as a character from The Monsters, a children's book series by Hong Kong–born, Belgium-based illustrator Kasing Lung, whose work draws heavily from Nordic mythology. Initially produced in Taiwan, it was not until Pop Mart — the Beijing-based toy giant founded by Wang Ning in 2010 — licensed the character in 2019 that things really took off. Using a signature blind-box model, where each sealed box contains a mystery figure, Pop Mart turned Labubu into a must-have collectible. But the tipping point came in November 2024, when Lisa of South Korean girl group Blackpink clipped one to her Louis Vuitton bag and later revealed her 'Labubu obsession' in a Vanity Fair interview. The Internet lost it. And just like that, labubu became a viral hit across Asia and beyond. It did not stop there. International stars like Dua Lipa, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and even David Beckham have been spotted with Labubus — often attached to their bags, backpacks or keychains — catapulting the character into global fashion consciousness. By mid-2025, Pop Mart had released over 300 variants, with a mint green, 131 centimetre (4.3 feet) tall Labubu figure being sold at Yongle International Auction in Beijing in June 2025 for 1.08 million yuan (approximately ₹1.3 crore). As Labubu mania went global, Pop Mart CEO Wang Ning's personal stake in the company skyrocketed, placing him among China's 10 richest individuals. With an estimated net worth of ₹1.734 trillion, Wang is now one of the youngest billionaires in the country. The India craze In India, Labubu's rise has been just as wild. The Pop Mart outlet at Bangkok's Siam Centre has become a kind of pilgrimage site, as Mumbai-based filmmaker Faraz Arif Ansari discovered earlier this year. 'So, I got my first one (labubu) end April, early May, from Bangkok's Pop Mart. It is the best stocked and priced,' Faraz recalls. 'Then I started hunting for limited editions. Got a few from resellers in Bangkok and others through friends travelling around Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore.' While blind boxes cost around 550 THB (almost ₹1,500) in Thailand, resellers in India list the same figurines for ₹6,000–7,000. 'It's mad,' they (Faraz identifies as non-binary, their pronouns are they/them) laugh. 'Even the Thai resellers are way cheaper — and they bargain too. I picked up a few limiteds for about 1,500 THB (₹4,035) each.' Their collection now sits at around 20 figures — placing them somewhere between casual collector and hardcore enthusiast. Shelf appeal Anchit Kapil, co-founder of CrepDog Crew (CDC), was quick to spot the trend brewing on Instagram. 'Honestly, it was both demand and instinct,' he says. 'Collectors in India were already hooked, but there wasn't a reliable source to buy from — at least not without months of waiting or risking fakes. We've always curated what's culturally relevant, so bringing Labubu into the CDC world just made sense.' The reaction was instant. 'We teased a drop in May, and it went off,' he says. 'It validated itself before we even launched.' Unlike traditional retailers working off projections and data, CDC taps directly into the pulse of youth culture. 'Sometimes the community tells you what's hot before the numbers do,' he says with a shrug. What has been surprising, even to Anchit, is the diversity of Labubu fans. 'You had sneakerheads who were like, 'Why would I buy a toy?' And now, some of them are our most die-hard collectors,' he laughs. 'It's not just lads in their 20s either. Labubu's gone beyond 'toys'. It's gender-neutral, age-neutral, everything-neutral. We've seen uni students and working professionals alike building collections.' While CDC took the organic route, another player moved fast and commercial. Abbas Ali Zaveri, founder and CEO of HypeFly India (an online retailer of sneakers and streetwear), approached Labubu like he does all things viral — with a sharp eye and even sharper instincts. 'We're always scanning global trends. If it's hot internationally, we want to be the first to bring it here,' he says. 'It's about aspiration. People see something trending in the US or Korea and don't realise they can get it locally.' Abbas's team first clocked Labubu in May. 'We did a test run. My team wasn't convinced, they were like, 'Who's paying ₹5,000 for a toy?' So I posted a few videos myself. First day, we sold 10. I knew we were onto something.' A bold 'buy one, get one' launch followed just as the buzz reached fever pitch. 'In that first week of pre-orders. It wasn't just a toy anymore; it was a flex.' Abbas believes Labubu's success is about access. 'It's a gateway to the culture. Before, being part of the hype scene meant dropping ₹45,000 on Off-White or Jordans. Now with ₹5,000, you're in.' Of course, success breeds counterfeits. 'Fakes are everywhere,' Abbas says bluntly. 'We've got a zero-tolerance policy. If it doesn't come with a Pop Mart invoice, we won't stock it.' He recalls spotting a fake barcode (the only way to tell if the Labubu is fake) that said 'Top Marie' instead of Pop Mart. 'The bootleggers are getting smarter. It's a full-time job keeping ahead.' That is where trusted platforms like HypeFly and CDC stand apart, offering guarantees in a sea of fakes. 'Anyone can buy a ₹2,000 labubu online,' he says. 'But they've no idea what they're getting. There is no regulation.' Interestingly, while demand in Mumbai and Delhi is beginning to plateau, interest is spreading elsewhere. 'Now it's Dehradun, Sikkim, the Northeast,' Abbas says. 'Tier-2s and 3s are waking up to it. It's going national.' From toy to trophy In the world of luxury resale, Labubu has taken on a new identity, that of an accessory enhancer. 'Bag charms are very 'in' right now,' says Anvita Mehra, founder and CEO of Confidential Couture. 'We've always seen that desire to personalise classics like Birkins and Kellys. Now, Labubu fills that space.' Hermès has long capitalised on this with its Rodeo charms, and Anvita believes Labubu works on the same principle. 'It's about adding personality. We once gave out free Labubus to some of our customers from stock we picked up in Thailand. But in the resale market in India, they can fetch up to ₹20,000 because most people want Labubus almost immediately. But like all trends, it eventually cools.' She believes Labubu landed at just the right moment. 'It's access, availability, and the thrill of the hunt. People were asking friends to pick them up from Dubai or Singapore. Now they're everywhere. That might cool the hype slightly but the desire to personalise luxury is here to stay.' A collector's tale Still, few stories capture Labubu's magic quite like Ensito's. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, he has a collection of over 500 Labubus — figurines, pendants and plushies. 'It all started when a friend asked me to pick some up during a trip to London,' he says. 'I queued for three hours. Sold out two people ahead of me. But I was instantly hooked.' He was drawn in by the designs, the blind-box surprise, and the narrative behind each release. 'At first, they were just fun accessories to go with my designer bags. Then it became about the stories. The thrill of the hunt is real.' Ensito has shopped Labubus across the US and Europe, visiting over 15 Pop Mart stores. 'London used to be the best, but now it's all lottery-based. In the US, you've got to be fast online. I've found Seattle and parts of Texas are easier — less competition.' But for him, the real game-changer has been TikTok Lives. 'Pop Mart has live shopping channels in the US, UK, and now Canada's gearing up too. That's where I score most of mine.' And yes, he has spent over $20,000 on his collection. 'It's a lot, I know. But it's more than a hobby. It brings joy. And every piece has a story.'


Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
The Moroccan Sahara will bloom: Christopher Nolan's filming in Dakhla puts the seal of approval to the region's development and future
Christopher Nolan's latest production 'The Odyssey' is facing some criticism because a part of it was shot in the Moroccan Sahara city of Dakhla. The protests are coming from so-called Sahrawi activists and FiSahara, which organises a movie festival in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria's Tindouf region. The same camps from which there have been reports of gross human rights violations, diversion of aid and rioting. This is because the separatist Polisario Front that runs the camps with Algeria's support virtually treats them like prisons. Till date the Polsario has refused to conduct a census in these camps despite being repeatedly urged to do so. The point here is that the Moroccan Sahara issue – which is a leftover baggage from Morocco's colonial history – continues to be used by external forces for their own vested interests. And in this process, these external actors completely eschew facts. For example, they will not tell you that 19th century European colonial powers had hived off the Moroccan Sahara from Morocco proper. In fact, Spain and France actually had through their own arrangement created their own spheres of influence in Morocco. They will also not tell you that when Morocco became independent in 1956 it vowed to recover its Sahara provinces which were still under Spanish colonial control. In fact, the speech of Morocco's erstwhile monarch, King Mohammed V, grandfather of current King Mohammed VI, at M'hamid al-Ghizlan in 1958 saw him pledge to the Sahrawi tribal chiefs that he would work to recover the Sahara in keeping with Morocco's historical rights. Recall also that in 1963 Morocco itself brought the Sahara issue to the UN, asking the international body to recognise the Sahara as a non-governing territory to be decolonised by Spain. Then there is the selective amnesia of the 1963 Sand War between Morocco and Algeria. It was due to this conflict that Algeria adopted a strategy of hemming in Morocco through asymmetric means. The latter included supporting, arming and funding a separatist Sahrawi group called the Polisario Front. The Polisario simply wouldn't have sustained without Algeria's material and diplomatic backing. And it was solely to undermine Morocco that the Polisario was egged on by Algeria to carry out an armed struggle against Rabat under the guise of seeking independence for the Sahara. A UN brokered ceasefire between the two sides in 1991 also lays bares Polisario's duplicity. It has never created the conditions for a referendum nor taken care of the refugees in its Tindouf camps. Ideally, Polisario should release the inmates in those camps. The Polisario leadership has simply been pawns in Algiers' hands. And yet they continue to wear the garb of 'independence'. The Moroccan Sahara provinces are legally and historically Moroccan. The 1975 Madrid Accords divided the Moroccan Sahara between Morocco and Mauritania. But Mauritania gave up its claims in 1979, leaving only Morocco's legitimate claims intact. Since then Morocco, under King Mohammed VI, whose Throne Day is today (July 30), has proposed an Autonomy Plan for the Sahara which devolves significant political powers to the region but under Moroccan sovereignty. The plan has growing international support with the US officially declaring it as the only solution to the Sahara issue under Moroccan sovereignty. Similarly, both France and Spain are now onboard with the Autonomy Plan. Portugal too recently reiterated its support for Rabat's position and the UK has called the plan credible. In turn, Morocco has made huge investments in the Sahara provinces to develop local economy, tourism, agriculture and fisheries. Many countries already have their consulates in Sahara cities. And Dakhla where Nolan was shooting is a hot tourism destination for European travellers. Taken together, Morocco's position on the Moroccan Sahara is clear and transparent. The manipulations are being carried out by Algeria and Polisario. Nolan should be applauded for filming in Dakhla. Hopefully it will open the door to more Hollywood and European productions in the region. A minority of people must not be allowed to hold the future of the Moroccan Sahara hostage. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.