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<\/p>\nWakuku is the most talked-about newcomer in China\u2019s trend toy market. Besides its mischievous grin, what\u2019s perhaps most noteworthy is how closely Wakuku follows the marketing success of Labubu. As the strongest new designer toy of 2025, Wakuku says a lot about China\u2019s current creative economy \u2014 from youth-led consumer trends to hybrid business models.<\/p>\n
As it is becoming increasingly clear that Chinese designer toy Labubu has basically conquered the world, it\u2019s already time for the next made-in-China collectible toy to start trending on Chinese social media.<\/p>\n
Now, the name that\u2019s trending is Wakuku, a Chinese trend toy created by the Shenzhen-based company Letsvan.<\/p>\n
In March 2025, a new panda-inspired Wakuku debuted at Miniso Land in Beijing, immediately breaking records and boosting overall store revenue by over 90%. Wakuku also broke daily sales records on May 17 with the launch of its \u201cFox-and-Bunny\u201d collab at Miniso flagship stores in Shanghai and Nanjing. At the opening of the Miniso Space in Nanjing on June 18, another Wakuku figure sold out within just two hours. Over the past week, Wakuku went trending on Chinese social media multiple times. <\/p>\n
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From left to right: the March, May, and June successful Wakuku series\/figurines<\/p>\n
Like Labubu, Wakuku is a collectible keychain doll with a soft vinyl face and a plush body. These designer toys are especially popular among Chinese Gen Z female consumers, who use them as fashion accessories (hanging them from bags) or as desk companions.<\/p>\n
We previously wrote in depth about the birth of Labubu, its launch by the Chinese POP MART (founded 2010), and the recipe for its global popularity in this article<\/a>, so if you\u2019re new to this trend of Chinese designer toys, you\u2019ll want to check it out first (link<\/a>).<\/p>\n Labubu has been making international headlines for months now, with the hype reaching a new peak when a human-sized Labubu sold for a record 1.08 million RMB (US$150,700), followed by a special edition that was purchased for nearly 760,000 RMB (US$106,000).<\/p>\n Now, Wakuku is the new kid on the block, and while it took Labubu nine years to win over young Chinese consumers, it barely took Wakuku a year \u2014 the character was created in 2022\u20132023, made its retail debut in 2024, and went viral within months. While Labubu is a Nordic forest elf, Wakuku is a tribal jungle warrior. It comes in various designs and colors depending on the series and is sold in blind boxes (\u76f2\u76d2), meaning buyers don\u2019t know exactly which design they\u2019re getting \u2014 which adds an element of surprise.<\/p>\n \u27a1\ufe0f There\u2019s a lot to say about Wakuku, but perhaps the most noteworthy aspect is how closely it mirrors the trajectory of POP MART\u2019s Labubu.<\/p>\n Wakuku\u2019s recent success in China highlights the growing appeal and rapid rise of Chinese IPs (beyond its legal \u201cintellectual property\u201d meaning, \u2018IPs\u2019 is used to refer to unique cultural brands, characters, or stories that can be developed into collectibles, merchandise, and broader pop culture phenomena).<\/p>\n Although many critics predict<\/a> that the Labubu trend will blow over soon, the popularity of Wakuku and other Labubu-like newcomers shows that these toys are not just a fleeting craze, but a cultural phenomenon that reflects the mindset of young Chinese consumers, China\u2019s cross-industry business dynamics, and the global rise of a new kind of \u2018C-pop.\u2019<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Wakuku: A Cheeky Jungle Copycat<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n When I say that Wakuku follows POP MART\u2019s path almost exactly, I\u2019m not exaggerating. Wakuku may be portrayed as a wild jungle child, but it\u2019s definitely also a copycat.<\/p>\n It uses the same materials as Labubu (soft vinyl + plush), the name follows the same ABB format (Labubu, Wakuku, and the panda-themed Wakuku Pangdada), and the character story is built on a similar fantasy universe.<\/p>\n In fact, Letsvan\u2019s very existence is tied to POP MART\u2019s rise \u2014 the company was only founded in 2020, the same year POP MART, then already a decade old, went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and became a dominant industry force.<\/p>\n In terms of marketing, Wakuku imitates<\/a> POP MART\u2019s strategy: blind boxes, well-timed viral drops, limited-edition tactics, and immersive retail environments.<\/p>\n It even follows a similar international expansion model as POP MART, turning Thailand into its first stop (\u51fa\u6d77\u9996\u7ad9<\/a>) \u2014 not just because of its cultural proximity and flourishing Gen Z social media market, but also because Thailand was one of the first and most successful foreign markets for Labubu.<\/p>\n Its success is also deeply linked to celebrity endorsement. Just as Labubu gained global traction with icons like BLACKPINK\u2019s Lisa and Rihanna seen holding the doll, Wakuku too leans heavily on celebrity visibility and entertainment culture. <\/p>\n Like Labubu, Wakuku even launched its own Wakuku theme song<\/a>.<\/p>\n Since 2024, Letsvan has partnered with Yuehua Entertainment (\u4e50\u534e\u5a31\u4e50) \u2014 one of China\u2019s leading talent agencies \u2014 to tap into its entertainment resources and celebrity network, powering the Wakuku marketing engine. Since stars like Esther Yu (\u865e\u4e66\u6b23) were spotted wearing Wakuku as a jeans hanger, demand for the doll skyrocketed. Yuehua\u2019s founder, Du Hua (\u675c\u534e), even gifted a Wakuku to David Beckham as part of its celebrity strategy. <\/p>\n From Beckham to Esther Yu; celebrity endorsements play a big role in the viral marketing of Wakuku.<\/p>\n But what\u2019s most important in Wakuku\u2019s success \u2014 and how it builds on Labubu \u2014 is that it fully embraces the ugly-cute (\u4e11\u840c ch\u01d2u m\u00e9ng) aesthetic. Wakuku has a mischievous smile, expressive eyes, a slightly crooked face, a unibrow, and freckles \u2014 fitting perfectly with what many young Chinese consumers love: expressive, anti-perfectionist characters (\u53cd\u7cbe\u81f4).<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cUgly-Cute\u201d as an Aesthetic Rebellion<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Letsvan is clearly riding the wave of \u201cugly trend toys\u201d (\u4e11\u840c\u6f6e\u73a9) that POP MART spent years cultivating.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd0d Why are Chinese youth so obsessed with things that look quirky or ugly?<\/p>\n A recent article by the Beijing Science Center (\u5317\u4eac\u79d1\u5b66\u4e2d\u5fc3<\/a>) highlights how \u201cugly-cute\u201d toys like Labubu and Wakuku deviate from traditional Chinese aesthetics, and reflect a deeper generational pushback against perfection and societal expectations.<\/p>\n The pressure young people face \u2014 in education, at work, from family expectations, and information overload \u2014 is a red thread running through how China\u2019s Gen Z behaves as a social media user and consumer (also see the last newsletter on nostalgia core<\/a>). <\/p>\n To cope with daily stress, many turn to softer forms of resistance, such as the \u201clying flat\u201d movement<\/a> or the sluggish \u201crat lifestyle\u201d<\/a> in which people reject societal pressures to succeed, choosing instead to do the bare minimum and live simply.<\/p>\n This generational pushback also extends to traditional norms around marriage, gender roles, and ideals of beauty. Designer toys like Labubu and Wakuku are quirky, asymmetrical, gender-fluid, rebellious, and reflect a broader cultural shift: a playful rejection of conformity and a celebration of personal expression, authenticity, and self-acceptance.<\/p>\n Another popular designer toy is Crybaby, designed by Thai designer Molly, and described as follows: \u201cCrybaby is not a boy or a girl, it is not even just human, it represents an emotion that comes from deep within. It can be anything and everything! Laughter isn\u2019t the only way to make you feel better, crying can be healing too. If one day, a smile can\u2019t alleviate your problems, baby, let\u2019s cry together.\u201d<\/p>\n But this isn\u2019t just about rejecting tradition. It\u2019s also about seeking happiness, comfort, and surprise: emotional value. And it\u2019s usually not brand-focused but influencer-led. What matters is the story around it and who recommends it (unless the brand becomes the influencer itself \u2014 which is what\u2019s ultimately happening with POP MART).<\/p>\n One of the unofficial ambassadors of the ch\u01d2u m\u00e9ng ugly-cute trend is Quan Hongchan (\u5168\u7ea2\u5a75), the teenage diving champion and Olympic gold medallist from Guangdong. Quan is beloved not just for her talent, but also for her playful, down-to-earth personality.<\/p>\n During the Paris Olympics, she went viral for her backpack, which was overflowing with stuffed animals (some joked she was \u201ccarrying a zoo on her back\u201d) \u2014 and for her animal-themed slippers, including a pair of ugly fish ones.<\/p>\n Quan Hongchan with her Wakuku, and her backpack and slippers during her Paris Olympics days.<\/p>\n It\u2019s no surprise that Quan Hongchan is now also among the celebrities boosting the popularity of the quirky Wakuku.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n From Factory to Fandom: A New Kind of \u201cC-pop\u201d in the Making<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The success of Wakuku and other similar toys shows that they\u2019re much more than Labubu 2.0; they\u2019re all part of a broader trend tapping into the tastes and values of Chinese youth \u2014 which also speaks to a global audience.<\/p>\n And this trend is serious business. POP MART is one of the world\u2019s fastest-growing consumer brands, with a current market value of approximately $43 billion, according to Morgan Stanley<\/a>.<\/p>\n No wonder everyone wants a piece of the \u2018Labubu pie,\u2019 from small vendors to major companies.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just the resellers of authentic Labubu dolls who are profiting from the trend \u2014 so are the sellers of \u2018Lafufu,\u2019 a nickname for counterfeit Labubu dolls, that have become ubiquitous on e-commerce platforms and in toy markets (quite literally<\/a>).<\/p>\n Wakuku\u2019s rapid rise is also a story of calculated imitation. In this case, copying isn\u2019t seen as a flaw but as smart market participation.<\/p>\n The founding team behind Letsvan already had a decade of experience in product design before setting out on their journey to become a major player in China\u2019s popular designer toy and character merchandise market.<\/p>\n But their real breakthrough came in early 2025, when QuantaSing (\u91cf\u5b50\u4e4b\u6b4c), a leading adult learning ed-tech company with no previous ties to toys, acquired a 61% stake in the company.<\/p>\n With QuantaSing\u2019s financial backing, Yuehua Entertainment\u2019s marketing power, and Miniso\u2019s distribution reach, Wakuku took it to the next level.<\/p>\n The speed and precision with which Letsvan, QuantaSing, and Wakuku moved to monetize a subcultural trend \u2014 even before it fully peaked \u2014 shows just how advanced China\u2019s trend toy industry has become.<\/p>\n This is no longer just about cute (or ugly-cute) designs; it\u2019s about strategic ecosystems by \u2018IP factories,\u2019 from concept and design to manufacturing and distribution, blind-box scarcity tactics, immersive store experiences, and influencer-led viral campaigns \u2014 all part of a roadmap that POP MART refined and is now adopted by many others finding their way into this lucrative market. Their success is powered by the strength of China\u2019s industrial & digital infrastructure, along with cross-industry collaboration.<\/p>\n The rise of Chinese designer toy companies reminds of the playbook of K-pop entertainment companies \u2014 with tight control over IP creation, strong visual branding, carefully engineered virality, and a deep understanding of fandom culture. (For more on this, see my earlier explanation of the K-pop success formula<\/a>.) <\/p>\n If K-pop\u2019s global impact is any indication, China\u2019s designer toy IPs are only beginning to show their potential. The ecosystems forming around these products \u2014 from factory to fandom \u2014 signal that Labubu and Wakuku are just the first wave of a much larger movement. <\/p>\n \u2013 By Manya Koetse<\/p>\n Spotted a mistake or want to add something? Please let us know in comments below or email us<\/a>. First-time commenters, please be patient \u2013 we will have to manually approve your comment before it appears.<\/p>\n
Its pricing is affordable (59\u2013159 RMB, around $8.2-$22) and some netizens argue it\u2019s more quality for money. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/beckham.jpg\")
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