Labubu vs. Lafufu: Wait, What is a Lafufu?

11th June 2025 EDT FEATURES

Labubu vs. Lafufu: Wait, What is a Lafufu?

Yin and Yang exist everywhere, even in THE MONSTERS universe. And the Yang to Labubu’s Yin is Lafufu.

Labubu vs. Lafufu: Wait, What is a Lafufu?

POP MART Retail US$

We’re all programmed to avoid the “ugly”—anything that doesn’t align with conventional beauty standards of elegance, harmony, and visual appeal (or any qualities of that ilk for that matter). But human beings are complicated creatures. If we can defy gravity with planes, we can defy logic. We can find pearls in the mud and treasure in the trash. So, even if something isn’t conventionally attractive, we may still find it… cute.

Enter ugly–cute. An aesthetic phenomenon that combines elements of ugliness and cuteness to create a unique, paradoxical appeal, embracing imperfections in a way that actually enhances attractiveness. One perfectly embodied by POP MART’s marquee IP of the moment: Labubu.

Labubu has the world in its four-fingered hands at the moment. The character is the brainchild of Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung, created in 2015 as part of his story series THE MONSTERS, with initial figurines produced by How2Work. Labubu gained much wider recognition in 2019 after a collaboration with POP MART, which propelled the character into mainstream popularity.

Until BLACKPINK’s Lisa comes into the picture, with a picture of her and her Labubus—suddenly, these figurines became cross-continent, cross-cultural icons, literally “hanging” with celebrities like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and even the NBA’s Public Enemy No. 1, Dillon Brooks.

Yin and Yang exist everywhere, even in THE MONSTERS universe. And the Yang to Labubu’s Yin is Lafufu.

Labubu vs. Lafufu

Labubu and Lafufu are collectibles that appear identical at first glance but differ completely in terms of authenticity and quality. The former is the original knockout, the latter the knockoff.

Authentic Labubus come in branded packaging with scannable QR codes, consistent quality control over features such as nine dagger-shaped teeth, a pale peachy face color, and a UV stamp on the right foot that shows a silhouette matching the specific Labubu series.

The limbs of real Labubus are fully mobile, and the overall paint job and fur quality are high-grade. They are typically sold at POP MART stores or official resellers and can be quite expensive, often costing US$24 or more per figure.

Lafufu, on the other hand, habituates marketplaces like AliExpress, eBay, Temu, and Shopee, often sold at a fraction of the price of authentic Labubus, sometimes as low as US$0.60 to US$12.

Lafufus mimics the Labubu design but has noticeable flaws, such as uneven or coarse fur, odd colors (e.g., overly pink noses), lopsided faces, missing or backward-attached hands, fewer or more than nine teeth, poor paint jobs, and limbs that do not move properly.

Packaging is usually plain or flimsy, lacking the official branding and QR codes. Despite being inferior, Lafufus have gained a cult following for their quirky, “ugly” charm and affordability, with some collectors even customizing them creatively.

Lafufu has become a cultural phenomenon in its own right, appealing to those who seek a more affordable or humorous alternative. However, for serious collectors, authentic Labubus remain the preferred choice due to their craftsmanship and official status.

So, Labubu vs. Lafufu boils down to authentic, official collectibles versus their unofficial, lower-cost, and often flawed imitations, which, ironically, have developed their own fan base. If you want to learn how to tell them apart even further, read:

“Real vs. Fake Labubu: Tips To Ensure Your Collection Is Authentic!”

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