Kaising Lung

Kaising Lung is a Hong Kong-Belgian designer known for creating the Labubu plush toys in 2015, inspired by the Chinese animated series 'Monsters'. Initially intended for children, the quirky 'creepy-cute' plushies gained significant popularity, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they provided comfort and emotional escape. The trend exploded on social media platforms like TikTok, turning Labubus into a global phenomenon and a status symbol, resulting in substantial profits for the Pop Mart company that markets them. Despite some backlash regarding their design, Lung maintains that the plushies are meant to be playful rather than sinister.