Conspiracy theorists are claiming Labubu dolls are haunted and can possess people
Labubu dolls, much like any popular craze, are becoming the subject of conspiracy theories. (Getty)
Labubu dolls, much like any popular craze, are becoming the subject of conspiracy theories. (Getty)
The ongoing Labubu dolls craze has officially reached fever pitch after people have claimed the toys are based on an ancient Mesopotamian demon, are haunted, and can possess you.
The collectible designer plush toys have completely taken the world by storm over the past few months, causing the ‘Monster’ figurines to explode in price.
Designed by Hong Kong-Belgian artist, Kasing Lung, the figurines often come in ‘blind boxes’ – a form of packaging that keeps its contents hidden until opened. Rare versions of the toy have sold anywhere from $149 to $170,000.
As with any mass-frenzy over a consumer item, conspiracy theories over the toys have proliferated online, with users now claiming the toy resembles the Mesopotamian demon god Pazuzu; a primarily evil deity in Babylonian and Assyrian mythology associated with destructive winds. Pazuzu was also the entity filmed in the classic 1970s horror movie The Exorcist.
According to fact-checking website Snopes, posts on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram are all claiming that the design of the Labubu toys is based on an image of the demon god and those who buy them are “inviting evil” into their home.
One post, which baselessly claims the toys are “Pazuzu-inspired demons,” uses an episode of The Simpsons, Treehouse of Horror XXVIII, as “proof”. The episode sees Homer bring home a Pazuzu statue containing the demon, who then possesses Maggie Simpson, though the online post falsely claims the demon possesses Homer in the episode.
Lung, who was raised in the Netherlands, has previously said Labubu toys are based on Nordic fairy tales he enjoyed as a child.
There is no evidence that the designs are based on Pazuzu or any Mesopotamian mythological lore. In fact, PinkNews is willing to go on the record and confirm that your Labubu doll will not possess you.
Based on a storybook Lung wrote in 2015, The Monsters, the characters were turned into toys and sold exclusively by Pop Mart, a China-based retailer.
The toys rose in popularity around 2019, eventually skyrocketing to a beloved collector’s item after various celebrities and influencers, including Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and David Beckham shared pictures of their personal collection.
Described by Pop Mart World as a “mischievious” and “kind-hearted” Nordic Monster, Lung has said he came up with the designs to honour the stories he “loved so much when I was a kid.
