The internet is currently obsessed with a monster. Not the scary kind, but a mischievous, jagged-toothed creature with long ears and a soul-piercing grin. If you’ve stepped into a mall or scrolled through TikTok lately, you've definitely seen the chaos surrounding the Labubu Hide and Seek series. It’s wild. People are literally lining up for hours just for a chance to pull a small vinyl figure out of a foil bag.
Kinda crazy, right?
But there is a logic to the madness. Labubu, created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, has been around for a while as part of "The Monsters" universe. However, the Labubu Hide and Seek collection specifically hit a different chord. It wasn't just another drop; it became a cultural moment that bridged the gap between high-end art toys and mainstream viral trends.
The Origin of the Mischief
Kasing Lung didn't just wake up and draw a rabbit-monster. He was heavily influenced by Nordic folklore. You can see it in the edges. Labubu is part of a group called The Monsters, which includes characters like Tycoco (the skeleton) and Spooky. Labubu is the standout, though. It’s that expression. Is it happy? Is it planning to steal your car keys? Nobody knows.
That ambiguity is exactly why the Labubu Hide and Seek vinyl plush and blind box sets exploded. Most "cute" toys are just... cute. Labubu is weird. It’s a bit edgy. When Pop Mart partnered with Kasing Lung to bring these characters to the mass market, they leaned into the "blind box" mechanic. You don’t know which one you’re getting. The adrenaline of the "unboxing" is half the fun, and the Hide and Seek series perfected this by offering variations that felt genuinely distinct from one another.
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Why the Hide and Seek Series Specifically?
Honestly, the name says it all. The series features Labubu in various playful, secretive poses—peeking out, huddling, and generally acting like a bratty toddler playing a game.
One big reason this specific line took off was the tactile shift. While previous Labubu releases were mostly hard vinyl, the Hide and Seek era saw a massive push into textures. We’re talking about the plush pendants. You’ve seen them dangling from the designer handbags of celebrities like Lisa from BLACKPINK. Once Lisa posted a photo holding a Labubu, the market basically broke. Prices on the secondary market for a Labubu Hide and Seek plush pendant skyrocketed from a retail price of around $15-$20 to well over $100 in some regions.
It's supply and demand in its rawest form. Pop Mart keeps the stock low. The fans keep the hype high.
The "Secret" Figure Phenomenon
If you’re new to the hobby, here is how the Hide and Seek blind boxes work. A standard case usually has 12 boxes. You are guaranteed the "regular" set if you buy a whole case, unless you get lucky.
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The "Secret" or "Chase" figure is the holy grail. In the Labubu Hide and Seek series, the odds of pulling the secret figure are typically 1:144. Think about those numbers. You could buy twelve cases and still not see the secret one. This creates a secondary market that looks more like day trading than toy collecting. People use digital scales to weigh boxes in-store—a practice that's actually pretty controversial in the community—trying to find the one box that's a few grams heavier, hoping it's the secret figure or a specific heavy accessory.
Identifying Fakes (The Scary Part)
Because Labubu Hide and Seek became so popular, the market got flooded with "reps" or fakes. It’s a mess.
If you're buying from a third-party seller on a site like eBay or a local marketplace, you have to be careful. Real Pop Mart packaging has a very specific holographic sticker with a QR code you can scan to verify authenticity. The fakes are getting better, but the fur quality on the plush versions is usually the giveaway. Authentic Labubu fur is soft but has a certain "messy" intentionality to it. Fakes often look too shiny or feel like cheap carnival prizes. Also, look at the teeth. Labubu’s teeth should be sharp and well-defined, not rounded or sloppily painted.
The Cultural Impact Beyond the Toy
It isn't just about owning a piece of plastic. Labubu Hide and Seek represents a shift in how we view "toys." In the past, toys were for kids. Now, "art toys" are legitimate collectibles, often treated with the same respect as a limited-edition sneaker or a piece of fine art.
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The community aspect is huge too. There are massive Facebook groups and Discord servers dedicated solely to trading Labubu figures. "I have the Sitting Labubu, looking for the Peeking one" is a sentence you'll see a thousand times a day. It builds a weirdly tight-knit community of people who are all obsessed with the same mischievous monster.
How to Actually Get One Without Overpaying
Look, the hype is real, but you don't have to get scammed.
- Official Channels First: Always check the official Pop Mart website or their physical stores first. They restock more often than you’d think, but you have to be fast.
- Follow the "Drops": Join the Pop Mart Discord or follow their Instagram. They usually announce restocks a day or two in advance.
- The "Used" Market: Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy the specific figure you want "opened" from a collector who is thinning out their stash. You miss the "surprise" of the blind box, but you save money and avoid the duplicates.
- Check the Weight: If you’re at a physical store that allows it, feel the weight of the boxes. Don't be "that guy" who brings a scale to the mall, but a little hand-testing doesn't hurt.
Practical Steps for New Collectors
If you're looking to jump into the Labubu Hide and Seek craze today, don't just start clicking "buy" on the first listing you see. Start by downloading the Pop Mart app. It’s the most reliable way to track prices and see what’s actually in stock.
Next, decide if you want the vinyl figures or the plush pendants. The plush ones are much harder to find right now because of the celebrity "bag charm" trend. If you just want the aesthetic, the vinyl blind boxes are generally more accessible.
Lastly, set a budget. It is incredibly easy to spend $200 on blind boxes in ten minutes and end up with three of the same figure. Trade, don't just keep buying. Most local collector groups have "trade meets" where you can swap your doubles for the ones you’re missing. It’s cheaper, and you actually meet people who aren't just bots on a resale site.
The Labubu Hide and Seek series isn't going away anytime soon. Even as new series come out, the "Hide and Seek" era will likely be remembered as the point where Labubu went from a niche designer toy to a global icon. Grab one if you can find it at retail price—just don't blame me when you end up with a shelf full of them.