The toy gained widespread attention in April 2024 after K-pop group Blackpink member Lisa was spotted with a keychain Labubu on her bag. This sparked a trend that quickly contributed to its growing recognition in Thailand and other parts of Southeast and East Asia. In 2025, New York Magazine's Liza Corsillo wrote that the "toy's appeal is fueled by a hard-to-explain cuteness — they're kind of ugly, but huggable, with a devilish grin — as well as surprise and scarcity." Corsillo also wrote that, like Jellycat, Labubus blur "the line between toys and fashion." Demand for Labubus have been high enough to crash the website on at least one occasion. Due to the brand's popularity, counterfeit versions, sometimes colloquially referred to as "Lafufus," have appeared in the market. Counterfeit accessories are also available for purchase online. Some collectors have reportedly also taken interest in these fakes, due to their unconventional designs. Pop Mart's 2024 interim report, released on 20 August, stated that the line generated sales of 6.3 billion Chinese yuan (approximately US$870 million) in the first half of the year. In May 2025, Pop Mart announced it had paused selling Labubus in all 16 of its stores in the United Kingdom until June to "prevent any potential safety issues" following multiple reports of customers fighting over them. The Federation Council of Russia proposed banning the sale of Labubus. The reason was their "frightening appearance" and potential harm to children's mental health. In Russia, Ekaterina Altabaeva, deputy chair of the Committee on Science, Education and Culture, stated that the figures cause children to feel fear. She called on Rospotrebnadzor and Rosobrnadzor to consider banning them. Tatyana Butskaya, first deputy chair of the State Duma Committee on Family Protection, reported that Labubus were being sold in Russia in violation of regulations. According to her, there wasn't a single word in Russian on the toys, and the marking did not indicate that they were manufactured in Russia. In July 2025, authorities in Iraq's Kurdistan Region announced they had banned the sale of the doll due to claims they resulted in behavioral problems in children. Authorities also seized at least 4,000 dolls in the Erbil area, following media reports of the dolls also containing 'demonic spirits'.