Demon Doll: The Rise of Labubu and Demonic Toys

Labubu’s razor smile has invaded the art world—part elf, part gremlin, equal parts cute and creepy. But what is this thing really? In this episode, we trace Labubu’s journey from Kasing Lung’s strange, dreamlike sketches to Pop Mart’s global phenomenon of blind boxes, celebrity hype, and designer-toy obsession. We dive into the rumors linking Labubu to the demon Pazuzu and explore why certain toys trigger unease and fascination in equal measure. Along the way: haunted case files (Annabelle, Robert the Doll, Okiku, Peggy), the Ouija “gateway game,” and the psychology of “cozy menace” that magnetic tension between adorable and alarming. If you’ve ever felt a toy stare back, or sensed something eerie in pop culture’s obsession with “cute horror,” this episode is your invitation to look closer.

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