Latest news with #ThreeWiseLabubu
Daily Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Express
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
NBC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Life-size Labubu doll sells for over $170,000 at Beijing auction amid global frenzy
HONG KONG — A life-size Labubu figure has been sold in China for more than $170,000, a record for the highly sought-after toothy monster toy boosted by celebrities. The 4-foot-tall mint green doll, whose price included a 15% commission, was traded in Beijing on Tuesday at what was billed as the world's first auction dedicated to Labubu collectibles. Event organizer Yongle Auction said the life-size doll, which is made of hard plastic PVC, is the only one of its kind. The auction sold all 48 lots for total sales of 3.73 million yuan, or about $520,000, with nearly 1,000 collectors making bids either in person or online, Yongle said in a statement Wednesday. The event came amid a global frenzy over Labubu, which is sold in 'blind boxes' by Chinese toy company Pop Mart. The 'intense' bidding showed the 'growing momentum of pop art in the auction market,' Yongle said, adding that it will start holding Labubu auctions 'regularly.' The Labubu item that received the second-highest bid was another life-size figure that sold for more than $130,000 and measured 5 feet tall. Coming in third was a set from a series called 'Three Wise Labubu' — one doll crossing its arms, one making a peekaboo gesture, and one covering its mouth — that sold for more than $80,000 including commission. The success of Labubu at auction reflects the 'growing presence' of art toys in the market and the progress of Hong Kong and mainland China in setting trends in contemporary culture, said Felix Kwok, a registered auctioneer of China and the founder of Art and Culture Exchange. 'In a somewhat stagnant art auction market, this development is both stimulating and indicative,' he told NBC News via messaging app. Created in 2015 by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, Labubu is one of 'The Monsters' in his children's book series inspired by Nordic mythology. With high, pointed ears and serrated teeth, the small monster is 'kind-hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieves the opposite,' according to Pop Market. Labubu dolls are often sold in 'blind boxes,' sealed packages whose contents are revealed only upon opening. In the U.S. store, one blind box from a recent collection retails for $27.99, while a set of six costs $167.94, though prices can more double on resale sites such as eBay. The dolls have also been popularized by celebrities such as Rihanna and Lisa from the South Korean girl group Blackpink, both of whom have been spotted sporting Labubu charms on their handbags. Despite the global trade disruptions caused by U.S. tariffs, fans have continued to line up at Pop Market shops across the world to buy Labubu dolls. Last month, the Chinese retailer even paused Labubu sales in all 16 shops in the U.K. to avoid safety issues following reports of disorderly lines and fights. In the first three months of this year, Pop Market's overseas revenue rose almost 480% overall compared with a year earlier, and nearly 900% in the Americas, according to its quarterly report. according to Forbes.
Asahi Shimbun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Asahi Shimbun
Labubu human-sized figure sells for over $150,000 at Beijing auction
A man poses for pictures next to a life-sized Labubu figurine displayed before an auction in Beijing on June 6. The figurine was later sold for 820,000 yuan at an auction by Yongle International Auction on Tuesday. (REUTERS) BEIJING/SHANGHAI--A Beijing auction house sold a human-sized Labubu figure for 1.08 million yuan ($150,275.51) 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 specializes in modern art as well as jewelry, marked the first ever auction dedicated to Labubu, toothy monster figurines that are mainly sold by China's toy company Pop Mart and have been at the center of a global frenzy for the past year. 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 ($25,889.64) 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. ($1 = 7.8487 Hong Kong dollars) ($1 = 7.1868 Chinese yuan renminbi)
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Business Recorder
Labubu human-sized figure sells for over $150,000 at Beijing auction
BEIJING/SHANGHAI: A Beijing auction house sold a human-sized Labubu figure for 1.08 million yuan ($150,275.51) 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 and have been at the centre of a global frenzy for the past year. 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 ($25,889.64) 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.
Dubai Eye
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Dubai Eye
Labubu human-sized figure sells for over $150,000 at Beijing auction
A Beijing auction house sold a human-sized Labubu figure for 1.08 million yuan ($150,275, around AED 551,901) 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 and have been at the centre of a global frenzy for the past year. 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 (AED 1.90 million). The highest grossing item, a mint green, 131cm 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 ($25,889.64) 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 (AED 25). 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.
