Craze for Labubu toys boosts careers of so-called toy doctors in China

The craze for the plush Chinese toy Labubu has boosted the careers of so-called toy doctors in China, Report informs via South China Morning Post.

A Shanghai “toy doctor” nicknamed Heartman said he had fixed 100 Labubu toys in the past month and had to ask his wife to help and move to a bigger studio.

He said repairs were 10 per cent of the price of the toy, which is considered fair because an ordinary Labubu toy retails at 99 yuan (US$14).

However, they sell for hundreds of yuan on the second-hand market. Rare versions can cost thousands of yuan.

Labubu is a character of The Monsters family created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung. Chinese toymaker Pop Mart began working with Lung in 2019.

One of the reasons behind the craze is K-pop group Blackpink’s member Lisa, who expressed her love for the toy. Another reason, according to Pop Mart’s investor Wei Zhe, is the toy’s portability.