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| From Joke to Jackpot: Yao Chen’s Ugly Labubu Plushie Now Sells for 10x Original Price (Weibo) |
Chinese actress Yao Chen has officially declared her plushie collection more profitable than stocks, real estate, or even celebrity endorsements — all thanks to a toothy little gremlin named Labubu.
Taking to Weibo earlier this week, the Lost in Thailand and All Is Well star shared a photo of her soft toy shelf, casually featuring a limited edition Labubu doll decked out in a cosy brown sweater and bucket hat.
The kicker? She bought it last year on a whim for a few hundred yuan — and it’s now being resold online for up to 4999 yuan (that’s more than USD 680). Oops?
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Li Qin's Labubu Post Goes Viral
“This is probably the only profitable investment in my life,” Yao Chen joked in her post, adding that when she first bought the doll, her colleagues laughed at her and called it ugly. “But look who’s having the last laugh now!”
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| Actress Yao Chen’s Labubu Toy Turns Into Unexpected Collector’s Treasure |
The Labubu in question is the “Dress Be Latte” edition from toy giant Pop Mart, originally priced at RMB 499 (USD 69.50).
While Pop Mart has since confirmed that the doll is currently out of stock, online listings have seen prices surge nearly tenfold as collectors scramble to get their hands on the viral critter.
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So why did she buy it in the first place, before the Labubu craze kicked off?
“Its huge grin just felt familiar and kind,” she replied to a fan in the comments. Another netizen teased her about the resale value, to which Yao playfully responded, “Last year I didn’t care. This year I can’t even afford it.”
The post quickly landed on Weibo’s hot search, sparking a wave of similar stories from other users who either regret passing on Labubu back in the day — or are now digging through their shelves in hopes of finding forgotten gems.
Pop Mart, meanwhile, issued a statement confirming that “Dress Be Latte” is indeed sold out, and encouraged eager fans to keep an eye on official channels by ticking the “notify when restocked” option. But let’s be real — it’s looking more like collector’s item status at this point.
So what exactly is Labubu?
For those not already deep in the rabbit hole: Labubu is a mischievous-looking character with a snaggletooth smile and devilish charm, born from the THE MONSTERS toy line designed by Kasing Lung.
Originally niche and a bit spooky-looking, Labubu has blown up over the past year, going fully mainstream across Asia — from capsule toy machines to streetwear collabs and full-on collector auctions.
What started as a quirky figure now sits comfortably at the centre of Asia’s designer toy boom, riding on Pop Mart’s wave of emotional nostalgia and Gen-Z collectability. So it’s no surprise Yao Chen’s version — limited run, cute outfit, celeb-stamped — is turning into a mini holy grail.
Pop Mart’s Founder Is Now the Richest Person in Henan
Final word from Yao Chen?
“I just bought it because I liked it. Turns out I accidentally predicted the market. Should’ve bought two!”