In a world where reality and illusion intertwine, a small doll called Labubu has emerged, captivating minds and sparking widespread controversy among its owners, psychologists, and even religious figures and those interested in the paranormal. What is the story behind this doll? Why have some likened it to a demonic creature from Mesopotamian mythology? Are we witnessing a cultural phenomenon or a toy containing mysterious symbols?
Labubu: A modern doll or a creature from another world?
Labubu first appeared in 2015 as an artistic creation by Chinese artist Kasing Long, and was commercially released by Pop Mart in 2019 as part of its fantasy-themed "The Monsters" series.
The doll's distinctive appearance: a huge face with wide eyes, protruding teeth, and a childlike smile, makes it look both cute and disturbing.
However, in 2023, 2024, and throughout 2025, it became a global craze thanks to marketing via surprise boxes and its appearance in the images of major influencers like Black Pink Lisa, making it a cultural icon among young people, teenagers, and even adults.
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| Source: Pop Inquirer |
Pazuzu: From Babylonian Myths to Social Media
Amid the escalating controversy, rumors emerged linking the name Labubu to a demonic creature named Pazuzu from Mesopotamian mythology. It is said that the current name is a corruption of the original, but historical research completely refutes this.
Pazuzu is a mythical demon known in Babylon and Assyria, with a hybrid form: a monstrous face, eagle wings, lion feet, and scorpion tail.
Ironically, he was invoked to exorcise evil spirits and protect mothers and children, and is not an evil entity in and of itself. His statues were used in mythical preventative medicine, and he is far removed from any contemporary doll.
The name Labubu is of Chinese origin and has no connection to the ancient Semitic or cuneiform languages.
Clerics between warning and denial
Given the doll's widespread popularity, religious voices—Muslim and Christian—have warned against its ownership. Some have described it as the work of Satan, citing widely circulated clips showing the doll moving on its own or self-combusting, or as an amulet for summoning negative energies.
Other sources, however, have asserted that the rumours surrounding it are merely populist exaggerations, and that the doll is nothing more than a successful visual marketing device, devoid of any magical or religious symbols, nor any connection to the worlds of jinn or demons, as has been rumored.
Have there been any real paranormal experiences with Labubu?
As of the writing of this report, there is no scientifically or clinically documented evidence of the Labubu doll as a source of paranormal activity.
What has been published is nothing more than videos of dubious authenticity, TikTok videos, or Reels designed for visual arousal.
No cases of hallucinations or behavioral disturbances related to the doll have been recorded. On the contrary, it has been shown that the majority of its users experience a collective pleasure associated with collecting rare dolls, a psychological behavior known in behavioral psychology and collecting culture.
Why this obsession? The psychological side of the spread
Explaining the phenomenon does not require metaphysics, but rather a sociological and psychological understanding:
- Uncanny Cute: A design that blends beauty and strangeness, puzzling and igniting visual memory.
- Blind Box: Creates a desire for repetition and consumption.
- Rarity and exclusivity: Limited editions on the parallel market, sold at exorbitant prices.
- Emotional marketing: connects the user to the doll as if it were a little friend.
- Asian entertainment culture: adopts creepy cuteness as a design trend.
Between truth and obsession
Our investigation reveals not a hidden demonic energy in Labubu, but another hidden force... the power of marketing, emotion, and design in a postmodern world, where dolls are transformed from children's toys into cultural symbols that influence behavior, arouse fears, and ignite people's imaginations.
In conclusion, Labubu is not a Babylonian demon, but a contemporary reflection of humanity's obsession with all things charming and bizarre. However, the collective madness surrounding her always opens the door to contemplation of the relationship between symbol and recipient.