Lisa, member of the K-pop sensation Blackpink, has found a treasure – and it’s not diamonds. In a Vanity Fair video, she laughs as she describes being downright obsessed with the blind box toys from the Chinese company Pop Mart. “I spend all my money,” she confesses while unboxing dolls from the "PUCKY Roly Poly Kitty" series. For fans like Lisa, Pop Mart is more than a toy – it’s a treasure hunt.
But the obsession goes far beyond the K-pop star.
A Blind Collecting Phenomenon
Pop Mart thrives on a simple yet ingenious idea: blind boxes. Buyers don't know which figure is in the box until they open it. This mix of curiosity, collecting passion, and a sense of luck triggers true euphoria among fans. The designs? Creative and emotionally appealing. The most famous figure, Molly, a short-haired girl with a distinctive pout, is versatile: sometimes as the astronaut "Space Molly," sometimes as the toddler "Baby Molly.
But the real coup? Pop Mart does not create stories around its characters like Disney or Nintendo. Instead, the company relies on a constant stream of new designs that regularly create fresh hype. For the international market, exclusive variants like a Mona Lisa monster for the Louvre store in Paris are even developed.
From Beijing to the World – A Success Story
What sets Pop Mart apart from other Chinese brands is its global appeal. Analysts at Morgan Stanley describe the company as the "first Chinese consumer brand with worldwide success," based on creative design rather than low prices.
The numbers speak for themselves: With 92 stores and over 160 vending machines outside China, Pop Mart has made the leap abroad. In the USA and Europe, the brand is a lifestyle phenomenon. According to Citigroup, Pop Mart will already generate half of its revenue outside China next year.
Nevertheless, the home market remains an important support: 39 million registered customers in China with an impressive repurchase rate of almost 44% show the strong anchoring in the country. The popularity on platforms like TikTok – with over 1.8 million followers – further drives the brand forward.
Collecting Passion with a Dark Side
However, the hype also has its challenges. In China, the government banned the sale of blind boxes to children under eight in 2023 due to the risk of addiction. And like all companies that rely on intellectual property, Pop Mart faces the task of keeping its figures relevant in the long term.
Then there is the competition.
The Next Chapter of a Generation
Pop Mart has shaped a generation that redefined the passion for collecting. For fans like Gabriella Joma from the USA, buying a blind box is not just a purchase, but an experience. "It feels like a treasure hunt that is simply addictive," she raves.
The hunt for figures like "Labubu," a small monster with pointy ears, drives collectors worldwide. Even in Thailand, there are ecstasy pills in Labubu form – an absurd example of the cultural reach of this brand.
Whether Pop Mart will establish itself as a long-term market leader remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: For the moment, the little girl with the pouty lips has conquered the world.
