Long before Labubu became one of the world’s most recognizable designer toys, it lived quietly in the imagination of Kasing Lung — the Hong Kong-born illustrator behind The Monsters Trilogy. What began as a hauntingly beautiful storybook soon evolved into one of the most emotional art toy universes ever created.
The Story That Started It All
lThe Monsters Trilogy was not a collection of monsters, but of feelings. Through delicate watercolor illustrations and cryptic handwritten notes, Kasing Lung created a world where emotions took shape as odd little creatures — tender, anxious, and deeply human. Among them was Labubu, a small trickster spirit with a crooked grin and eyes that shimmered with mischief. But behind that smile hid something more: the longing to belong. Each page of The Monsters Trilogy portrayed innocence wrapped in melancholy — a poetic reminder that even monsters crave understanding.
“People think they’re looking at strange creatures,” Lung once said. “But I’m painting honesty — the kind that only imagination can reveal.”
The Artist of Emotional Design — Kasing Lung
Born in Hong Kong, Kasing Lung (龍家昇) trained as a graphic designer before turning his emotions into art.
His early work combined European storybook influences with surrealism and dreamlike melancholy, echoing artists like Shaun Tan or Mark Ryden, but always with a gentler, more introspective tone. His world was never about darkness — it was about the beauty found within it. Through The Monsters, Lung explored sadness as something soft and redemptive. And when Pop Mart discovered his art, that emotional world found a new form.
From Paper to Plush — The Birth of Labubu
When Pop Mart approached Kasing Lung to bring The Monsters to life, Labubu became more than a drawing — it became a physical embodiment of emotion.
Each Labubu figure retained the charm of Lung’s sketchbook: rough textures, imperfect lines, expressive faces. Collectors quickly realized this wasn’t a toy — it was a fragment of a story. Series like Labubu Amour, Fall in Wild, and the recent Why So Serious have continued to build on that narrative, each one revealing a new shade of Labubu’s personality — sometimes playful, sometimes reflective, always sincere.
The Philosophy Behind The Monsters
For Kasing Lung, The Monsters was never about fear. It was about empathy — the courage to face our own inner “monsters” with kindness. Each creation, from Raby to Spooky Boo, is an emotion in disguise. Labubu, with its strange smile and curious heart, represents the duality of innocence and imperfection — a reminder that love and melancholy often coexist.
“There’s a bit of Labubu in all of us — the part that wants to laugh through tears.”
The Legacy of Labubu
Today, Labubu stands as a global symbol of emotional storytelling within the designer toy community. From limited edition figures to the coveted The Monsters Trilogy book, Kasing Lung’s universe bridges the gap between illustration, sculpture, and soul. For collectors, owning a Labubu means more than having a figure — it’s like holding a piece of someone’s imagination.
“It’s not about collecting toys,” says Lung, “it’s about collecting emotions.”
Labubu’s journey — from storybook to shelf — proves that art doesn’t need perfection to feel alive. Sometimes, the most human stories are told by monsters.