The large illustration of the 'Labubu' character and the sign reading 'Suspicious Convenience Store' catch the eyes of passersby. Inside the store, an upbeat 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.

Once you pass through the entrance, the full-fledged 'Labubu Universe' unfolds. With the popular character Labubu front and center, dolls and keyrings are densely displayed on the front and right walls. Various interactive experiences are also available inside the store. This 264-square-meter space was packed with Labubu fans, who were touching the merchandise, taking photos with the dolls, and immersing themselves in Labubu's charm.

Pop Mart 'Labubu Pop-up Store' operation image. Pop Mart Korea

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This pop-up was planned to introduce the latest 'The Monsters: Suspicious Convenience Store' series from the Labubu IP to Korean consumers. The entire space is designed to look like a real convenience store, following the concept of 'the mischievous Labubu turning an ordinary convenience store into his own playground.' There is also the fun of searching for hidden Labubu figures throughout the store.

The pop-up operates strictly by advance reservation until September 25, with a limit of 50 visitors per hour across nine sessions each day. All slots were booked within just 10 minutes of reservations opening on September 8, reflecting its popularity. Koo Youngsil, Marketing Manager at Pop Mart Korea, stated, "Safety has become increasingly important recently," and explained, "Despite the high demand, we are intentionally limiting the number of visitors for safety reasons." Previously, in June, Pop Mart temporarily suspended offline sales in Korea due to safety concerns raised at in-person sales events.

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 Ho Kyung Choi

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The main attraction at the venue was the eight types of limited edition goods: doll keyrings, fish cake skewer doll keyrings, shopping bags, pouches, sandwich mini bags, backrest cushions, tissue holders, and shopping bags, with prices ranging from 10,000 to 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 came with her husband from Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, said, "I've been a fan since Labubu was first released," and added, "It was great to be able to buy items here that are usually hard to find."

The interactive events and photo zones also drew crowds. There were photo zones with a convenience store backdrop for taking commemorative photos, mini-games to find hidden Labubu figures within a time limit, and a mini convenience store diorama shaped like a microwave. A unique photo booth, where you could take pictures with Labubu by opening a hidden door on a vending machine, also attracted attention. Hyun Bin (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."

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

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This on-site excitement is directly linked to Pop Mart's business strategy. Labubu is a representative IP that stimulates fans' desire to collect by combining 'rarity' and 'randomized sets.' Customers' repeated purchases to obtain their desired products translate into stable sales. The popularity has been further fueled by celebrity endorsements from Blackpink's Lisa, American singer Rihanna, influencer collaborations, and viral marketing on social media platforms. Labubu products are even sold at premium prices in the resale market.

Blackpink members Lisa (left) and Rose smile while holding Labubu dolls. Labubu and Rose Instagram

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A life-sized Labubu doll sold for about 200 million won at an auction held in Beijing, China. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News.

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Pop Mart is experiencing robust growth in global markets, including Korea, thanks to strong sales. 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 annual results in just six months. Notably, 'The Monsters' series, which includes Labubu, achieved sales of 4.81 billion yuan (937.2 billion won), a 668% year-on-year increase, accounting for more than one-third of total sales.

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