There once was a girl named Asmita, a student in Class 8. While she wandered through the worlds of Pokémon and Harry Potter, one day she stumbled upon a strange little doll on YouTube — big round eyes, long ears, teeth gleaming in a wide grin. And its name was… Labubu.
At first glance, Asmita felt a bit scared.
“Ew! This kind of looks like a little monster!” — she exclaimed. But then she looked again… and became fascinated. Such a funny expression, smiling with all its teeth, but with a strangely familiar, almost friendly feel to it.
And that was the beginning.
From then on, Asmita started browsing social media for Labubu pictures, videos, and unboxing clips. How did this doll smile like that? Where did it come from? Why was it so popular? Her curiosity only grew.
“You know, Mom?” — she asked one evening —
“This doll apparently comes inside a secret box. No one knows what’s inside until you open it! It’s called a ‘blind box’.”
Her mother laughed and said,
“Oh, so that’s what makes it so surprising and fun for you!”
But Labubu wasn’t just a doll — it felt like a secret friend. Its smile was a little mischievous, eyes full of curiosity — but not scary. Rather, it hinted at an enchanting mystery.
Asmita learned that in 2015, a Hong Kong-based artist named Kasing Lung had drawn Labubu in a picture book. Then in 2019, a Chinese company named Pop Mart turned this odd character into a collectible figurine.
The company packed these tiny dolls into beautiful boxes, but you could never tell which one you’d get. Just like a treasure hunt in play. Which Labubu would you find? The pink one? Or maybe the macaron version that looked like a colorful candy?
One night, Asmita had a dream — she had entered a bizarre world filled with little grinning dolls, all wide-eyed and smiling. They danced and played, some holding chocolates, others floating with helium balloons. The place was called — LabubuLand!
The next morning, Asmita told her mother,
“Mom, I went to Labubu’s world in my dream. They’re naughty but good. And guess what? I heard Labubu is like an elf or fairy from Nordic mythology. Did you know?”
Her mother looked thoughtful and said,
“Yes, dear, some say it’s a symbol of positive energy, but others are scared of it. In fact, in one city in Iraq, the government has even banned the doll!”
Asmita, wide-eyed, asked,
“Why?”
“Because some people believe it holds ‘dark powers’,” her mother said.
But Asmita shook her head and said,
“To me, Labubu is just a cute friend. It's like it says — make everyone laugh, but don’t harm anyone.”
Her mother smiled,
“You’re right. Like everything else, even toys can have both good and bad sides. But keep your curiosity — not fear.”
And so, Labubu became a new companion in Asmita’s imagination — a little odd, a little naughty, but very dear.
One day, as Asmita scrolled through social media, her eyes caught a bizarre video —
“Is Labubu Cursed?”
In the video, someone warned,
“Be careful! Labubu is actually inspired by a demon named Pazuzu. If you keep it at home, it brings suffering!”
Asmita’s heart skipped a beat. The image of her grinning Labubu flashed in her mind — the one who had become her imaginary friend… Could Labubu really be dangerous?
She immediately picked up her beloved Labubu and stared into its round eyes.
“Are you here to scare me?” — she whispered.
Just then, her elder sister walked into the room.
“What’s with the worried face? What happened?”
Asmita said,
“Sis, I saw a video that said Labubu looks like a demon! They say keeping it at home brings sadness!”
Her sister laughed.
“Those videos are just made to scare people. You know, once in the cartoon series The Simpsons, they showed a character that looked a bit like Labubu. That’s it! People suddenly assumed it was cursed!”
“So it’s just a rumor?” — Asmita’s eyes lit up again.
“Of course it’s a rumor,” her sister said.
“Labubu is a character born from the imagination of a Hong Kong artist named Kasing Lung. He wanted to create something weird but fun. Pop Mart turned it into a doll and launched it in the market.”
“Then why are people scared of it?” — Asmita asked.
“People often fear what they don’t understand,” her sister said.
“And Labubu does look a little unusual — big eyes, teeth showing in a grin! Some people just don’t get it. But if we learn where it came from, how it was made, then there’s no reason to fear it.”
Asmita nodded,
“Okay, so it’s just an imaginary character turned into a toy.”
“Exactly,” her sister smiled.
“And did you know? There are many Labubu versions — macaron edition, energy monster edition, even plush dolls! Each one with its own color and personality!”
Asmita smiled again.
“My Labubu is pink. The real one!”
She picked up her little doll and said,
“No need to be scared of you. You’re my happy friend — just like Harry Potter or Dora!”
Later that evening at dinner, Asmita told her father,
“Dad, you know what? Labubu isn’t scary at all. It’s just a doll, and its smile is meant to make us smile too!”
Her father laughed and said,
“The fact that you found out the truth for yourself — that’s the biggest lesson. Don’t believe everything on the internet. Learn to question, to understand.”
Before going to bed, Asmita kept Labubu beside her and said,
“Not fear, but friendship is the real magic. Isn’t that right, Labubu?”
The doll, just as before, kept smiling with its little teeth showing — and it felt like there was a sweet little secret hidden in that smile.