An elf that does not toy with adults

Grinning Labubu figure gives an energetic sense of companionship, Xu Lin reports.

Tang Xianyue's curated collection boasts dozens of Labubu figures and plush dolls in her bedroom. Her daily ritual begins at the wardrobe: choosing a Labubu, a nine-toothed elf with a creepy-cute grin, as a bag charm in accordance with her own outfit.

Like others, she also finds it fun to re-dress the plush dolls, swapping hats, layering necklaces and mixing tops and bottoms.

"It's like stepping back into childhood make-believe worlds of playing doll dress-up. I feel happy when I look at my Labubu doll dangling from my bag," says Tang, 30, a State-owned enterprise worker in Dongying, Shandong province.