Social media misinformation targets popular collectibles despite creator’s innocent origins
New Delhi: 17 July 2025
A surge of online disinformation has incorrectly connected Labubu dolls extremely well-loved collectible toys from Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung to Pazuzu, a demon from ancient Mesopotamian mythology. The false controversy was lit up after one person posted an Instagram video that linked the design of a brown Labubu figure to Pazuzu illustrations seen in manuscripts from antiquity and warned users not to buy “demonic toys,” referring to Labubu dolls. The video exploded on Instagram and TikTok, going viral with thousands of shares. Allegedly, some panicked collectors claim to have destroyed the dolls. Historians and minders and fact-checkers were quick to dismiss the claims made in the original video on social media. They explained that Labubu is a make-believe character and a whimsical one at that, introduced in Kasing Lung’s 2015 children’s book series The Monsters.
Manufactured by Pop Mart, the dolls are part of a fantasy universe and have no ties to occult or religious symbolism. Ironically, even the demon Pazuzu—made infamous by The Exorcist was regarded in Mesopotamian mythology as a protective entity against evil, not inherently malevolent.
Despite the inaccurate information, Labubu’s ascendance in the global popular culture space hasn’t slowed. Thanks to endorsements from star-makers like Rihanna and Lisa of BLACKPINK, the bamboo dolls have boosted Pop Mart’s revenues to over $400 million in 2025, with founder Wang Ning’s net worth jumping to $22.7 billion, thanks to the success of the company’s “blind box” sales strategy.
Despite the uproar, there is no factual link between Labubu and Pazuzu, and the conspiracy has been widely dismissed as a baseless social media hoax. Artist Kasing Lung, who has called Labubu a part of his creative soul, has yet to comment publicly.
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