"Even Rarer Due to Reservation-Only System": Fans Pack 264-Square-Meter Space... 'Labubu' Pop-up Fully Booked in 10 Minutes [Report]

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The large illustration of the "Labubu" character and the sign reading "Suspicious Convenience Store" catch the eyes of passersby. Inside the store, a lively theme song repeating "Labubu" plays in the background. This is "Labubu's Suspicious Convenience Store," an experiential pop-up store by the Chinese art toy brand Pop Mart, which opened in Seongdong-gu, Seoul on September 12.

After passing through the entrance, visitors are immersed in the full-fledged "Labubu Universe." With the popular character Labubu at the forefront, dolls and keyrings are densely displayed on the front and right walls. Various experiential contents are also available inside the store. This 264-square-meter space was bustling with Labubu fans, who enjoyed touching the merchandise, taking photos with the dolls, and being captivated by Labubu's charm.

On the 12th, visitors are browsing limited edition products at Pop Mart's "Labubu's Suspicious Convenience Store" pop-up store held in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Choi Hokyung

This pop-up was planned to introduce the latest "The Monsters: Suspicious Convenience Store" series of the Labubu IP to Korean consumers. The entire space is designed to resemble a real convenience store, following the concept that "the mischievous Labubu has turned an ordinary convenience store into his own playground." Visitors also enjoy the fun of finding hidden Labubu characters throughout the store.

The pop-up operates exclusively on a reservation basis until September 25, with a limit of 50 visitors per session and nine sessions per day. All slots were fully booked within 10 minutes of reservations opening on September 8, demonstrating its popularity. Koo Youngsil, Marketing Manager at Pop Mart Korea, said, "Safety issues have become increasingly important recently," and explained, "Despite the high demand, we are deliberately limiting the number of visitors for safety reasons." Previously, in June, Pop Mart temporarily suspended sales at offline locations in Korea after safety concerns were raised.

On the 12th, a visitor is taking a photo at a vending machine photo booth set up at Pop Mart's "Labubu's Suspicious Convenience Store" pop-up store held in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Choi Hokyung

The main attraction at the site was the eight types of limited-edition merchandise: doll keyrings, fish cake skewer doll keyrings, shopping baskets, pouches, sandwich mini bags, backrest cushions, tissue holders, and shopping bags, priced between 10,000 and 50,000 won. Although there was a purchase limit per person, visitors’ yellow shopping baskets were filled with Labubu products. Wang Shumeng (30, female), who visited from Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province with her husband, said, "I've been a fan since Labubu was first released, and I was happy to be able to buy items here that are usually hard to find."

The experiential events and photo zones also drew crowds. There were photo zones with a convenience store backdrop for commemorative photos, mini games to find hidden Labubu characters within a time limit, and a mini convenience store diorama shaped like a microwave. A unique photo booth, where visitors could open a hidden door in a vending machine and take pictures with Labubu, also stood out. Hyunbin (29, female), a resident of Seongsu-dong, Seoul, said, "I became interested in Labubu through Blackpink's Lisa. The space is well-designed with games and photo zones, and the diorama was especially impressive."

A view of Pop Mart's 'Labubu's Suspicious Convenience Store' popup store held in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Ho-kyung Choi

This on-site enthusiasm is directly linked to Pop Mart's business strategy. Labubu is a representative IP that combines "scarcity" and "random assortment" elements, stimulating fans' desire to collect. Customers’ repeated purchases to obtain their desired products translate into stable sales. In addition, the popularity has rapidly spread thanks to celebrity endorsements from stars like Blackpink's Lisa and American singer Rihanna, influencer collaborations, and social media-based viral marketing. Labubu products are even traded at premium prices in the resale market.

Pop Mart is enjoying strong growth in the global market, including Korea. In the first half of this year, the company recorded sales of 13.88 billion yuan (2.7043 trillion won) and a net profit of 4.71 billion yuan (917.7 billion won), surpassing last year's total results in just six months. In particular, "The Monsters" series, which includes Labubu, achieved sales of 4.81 billion yuan (937.2 billion won), a 668% increase from the previous year, accounting for more than one-third of total sales.

This year, Pop Mart is accelerating its global expansion with a "brand enhancement" strategy. The company plans to open 100 new stores worldwide and is preparing large flagship stores in countries such as Thailand, France, the United States, and Australia. In Korea, Pop Mart aims to expand its presence beyond central Seoul to major cities like Busan and upgrade its stores into immersive experiential spaces.