CRYBABY is an art toy series featuring androgynous, adorable characters with tear-filled expressions that has been expanding its global popularity, particularly across Asia. The series originated from the designer’s vision of “characters carrying emotions while moving forward,” and this worldview quickly resonated through social media.
With the accelerating release of new series and limited collaborations, launch days often see lines and instant sellouts, highlighting the growing attention. This article covers everything from the origins, reasons for popularity, latest release information, to reliable purchasing routes, organized in an easy-to-understand way for first-time buyers.
Table of Contents
What is CRYBABY?
Sold in blind box format, the surprise element during unboxing drives popularity, and the series has gained attention as highly compatible with photography culture and “oshi-katsu” (fan devotion activities) centered on social media.
Features of the CRYBABY Series in Collaboration with POP MART
The appeal of the CRYBABY series lies above all in the “teary, moist eyes” and “androgynous, delicate body lines.” The characters possess not only cuteness but also a slightly shadowed sense of ennui, evoking the strange emotion of making viewers want to “protect them” or “gaze at them forever.”
In recent years, emo-style designs that express characters’ “emotions” and “atmosphere” have gained global popularity in the art toy market, and CRYBABY has become a representative figure of this trend. On social media, the photogenic quality is highly praised, with Instagram and X featuring many posts of “story-driven photography” using creative lighting and backgrounds, contributing to community growth.
Additionally, the androgynous design eliminates stereotypes of gender and age, making it a characteristic that allows a wide range of people to accept the characters as ones they can “project their own emotions onto.”
Creator: Thai Artist “Molly / Mod-Nisa Srikhumdee” and Creative Background
Molly’s style uses delicate psychology such as the purity, anxiety, and expectations children carry as motifs, and CRYBABY’s “tears” are precisely that symbol. Through collaboration with POP MART, the inner world she had been depicting was transformed into three-dimensional form, resulting in art toys with deeper narrative.
Molly has stated, “CRYBABY is my inner emotions themselves,” and the design that embodies both cuteness and fragility resonates across borders. The unique expression that fuses Asian pop culture with artistic quality has earned high praise within the global art toy boom.
The Flow: 2017 Birth → 2021 POP MART Partnership → Popularity Expansion Across Asia
CRYBABY was born in 2017. While attracting attention from the start for its unique worldview and visuals, the fan community rapidly expanded across Asia, centered in Taiwan, China, and Thailand, following the 2021 partnership with POP MART. This coincided with POP MART’s aggressive expansion into Asian markets, strengthening brand presence through events and limited releases.
Entering the 2020s, as art toy culture gained global spread through social media, CRYBABY gained attention as a highly popular IP in the Southeast Asian market, also being evaluated for its collectibility and investment value. Limited series and collaboration editions often sell out immediately after release, and examples of secondary market trading above retail price exist. However, with POP MART increasing production volumes, secondary market prices have shown more stability.
Additionally, as the entire series maintains unified worldview, it has been recognized as an “entry series” easy for beginners to collect, continuing to be supported by diverse demographics from young people purchasing for photo posts to serious art toy collectors.
How Did It Go Viral? Social Media Diffusion Routes
The rapid buzz around CRYBABY has different diffusion routes for each social platform. On X, “restock information” and “new release announcements” with high immediacy drove diffusion, while on TikTok and Reels, the realism of unboxing videos greatly contributed to boom formation.
Large-scale installations and pop-up events at department stores elevated the value as “art toys shared as experiences,” boosting popularity from both online and offline perspectives.
New Release Announcements and Fan Post Growth on X (formerly Twitter)
The first social platform where CRYBABY gained major attention was X (formerly Twitter), where announcements of new series and restock alerts going viral on timelines became the starting point for rising popularity. In addition to information from the official POP MART account, real-time posts from fans like “I got one!” and “I pulled this one!” were shared, spreading organically through word-of-mouth.
Posts with unboxing result photos and thread-style introductions of favorite characters increased, making the appeal of each series visually easy to convey. Additionally, at stores with limited stock, a culture formed where users shared “which stores have inventory,” resulting in increased community unity and enthusiasm.
Furthermore, the establishment of an environment to connect with fans worldwide through hashtags naturally formed a multinational fandom, becoming the foundation supporting continued diffusion.
Unboxing (Blind Box) and Bag Charm Culture on TikTok/Reels
On TikTok and Instagram Reels, the excitement of blind box unboxing moments became a major factor in popularity expansion. The randomness of “not knowing which one will appear” has excellent compatibility with video, attracting viewer interest as short-form content with dramatic appeal.
@vanessa.h.lopez Let’s unbox the whole set of the new crybaby wild but cutie series!!! I really want the secret!!!😍❤️ #asmr #asmrsounds #asmrvideo #asmrtiktoks #crybaby #crybabywildbutcutie #wildbutcutie #labubu #labubuthemonsters #crybabyunboxing #labubuunboxing #popmart #popmartunboxing #popmartblindbox #blindbox @POP MART US @POP MART US SHOP @POP MART USSHOP ♬ superstar – しゃろう
Hashtag posts continue to increase, and a structure has formed where related videos grow in waves whenever popular series appear. Additionally, editing by international creators and ASMR-style unboxing presentations have become topics of conversation, creating opportunities to expand international viewership.
Large-Scale Installations and Experience Diffusion at Department Stores/Pop-ups
Real events linked with social media are also essential to CRYBABY’s popularity expansion. POP MART has held large-scale pop-ups at department stores and shopping malls across regions, providing “experiences only available on-site” through spatial presentations including giant figures and photo spots.
Photos and videos taken by visitors are immediately posted to X and Instagram, establishing a structure where installations themselves become starting points for diffusion. Additionally, limited item sales and the ability to experience different worldviews with each exhibition design heighten fan participation, creating effects that activate local communities at each event location.
Particularly in major Asian cities, events draw lines, and visit reports further spread on social media in a circular pattern. This provision of experiential value utilizing both real and digital aspects has become an important element supporting CRYBABY’s long-term brand expansion.
2025 Latest Releases & Notable Series
CRYBABY in 2025 has seen successive releases of lineups capturing not only existing fans but also new collectors, with high-profile series developments continuing throughout the year. Particularly designs emphasizing texture and color like “SHINY SHINY” and new releases with strong narrative expanding the worldview are numerous, with diffusion on social media accelerating alongside the excitement of blind box culture.
Additionally, region-limited editions and pop-up pre-sales have increased, with release information itself becoming a topic within communities.
“SHINY SHINY” Series Developments (July 2025 Release)
Released in July 2025 with rapidly rising attention, the “SHINY SHINY” series features special processing finishes with “sparkle” as the name suggests, generating major buzz on social media from the announcement stage.
Design elements themed on ballet including tutus and ballet bun hairstyles, incorporating glossy textures and metallic luster, offer accessory-like appeal different from existing CRYBABY designs, with expressions changing depending on lighting for exceptional photogenic quality. When official POP MART teaser images were released, the unified feel and fresh color development of the entire series were highly praised, with diffusion progressing through hashtags.
After release, posts comparing texture differences between regular and rare versions increased among collectors, becoming a notable series where people say “I’m happy with whichever one comes.” After release, some items quickly sold out online, indicating high popularity.
2025 New Releases Including “CRYING TO THE MOON” and “Vacation Mode On”
Among 2025’s new releases, the two series particularly generating buzz are “Vacation Mode On” released in October and “CRYING TO THE MOON” scheduled for December release. “CRYING TO THE MOON” features a romantic worldview themed on night sky, stars, and moon, with the fusion of CRYBABY’s characteristic tears motif and fantastical coloring resonating on social media through its romantic worldview of tears and emotions.
Regional Release Dates and Sales Formats (Direct/Online/Pop-up)
CRYBABY’s latest series often have different release dates by region, with 2025 also featuring three concurrent channels: direct stores, online, and pop-up events. Direct stores often hold pre-sales, with numbered tickets distributed and early morning lines occurring on release day.
Online stores see global simultaneous releases for some series, creating community unity as fans worldwide participate at the same timing. Additionally, pop-ups at department stores and shopping malls are popular for region-limited items and novelty distribution, with examples of series names trending based on local visitor posts.
As inventory differences due to regional variation are shared on social media, a culture of fans complementing each other’s information has spread, with the purchasing experience itself contributing to community formation.
Where to Buy? Acquisition Routes and Following Release Dates
To reliably acquire CRYBABY, understanding the characteristics of each sales channel is important. POP MART direct stores and official online stores are standard acquisition sources, with the most stable launch day lineups.
Furthermore, specialty stores like Tokyu Hands and Loft, and some electronics retailers also carry products, with restock timing differing by region as a characteristic. Additionally, as release dates and restock information are actively shared on social media, combining official X alerts and fan posts enables higher probability purchases of desired series.
POP MART Direct Stores, Online, and Retail Locations
Reliable purchase sources for CRYBABY are POP MART direct stores, POP MART official online store, and major e-commerce sites (Rakuten, Yahoo! Shopping, Amazon).
Direct stores are deployed in major cities nationwide, with relatively large new series stock quantities, and the appeal of being able to check display samples.
Limited editions and pop-up pre-sales also occur, making them important bases for fans. Online stores offer the convenience of domestic and international users purchasing genuine products under the same conditions, with a characteristic of concentrated access at sale start times. Meanwhile, general goods stores like Tokyu Hands, Loft, and Village Vanguard have greatly varying availability by location, tending to be sold only at some urban stores.
At Loft, Village Vanguard, and some regional stores, crowds may be less than POP MART direct stores, making them worth checking as hidden gems. At physical stores, actual box placement and restocking timing differs by individual store, allowing enjoyment of a “hunt feeling” visiting multiple stores.
Checking Release Information and Restock Alerts on X Official Account
The most effective method to reliably grasp release dates is following POP MART’s X (formerly Twitter) official account and turning on notifications. The official account regularly posts new series teasers, release dates, direct store stock availability, and online sale start times.
Especially in the 1-2 weeks before release, information volume increases, so regularly checking timelines prevents missing announcements. Additionally, searching hashtags like “#POPMART,” “#CRYBABY,” “#CrybabySeries” allows tracking user-reported restock sightings and store-specific inventory status, highly effective for understanding regional differences.
Furthermore, selecting “all posts” in notification settings enables real-time acquisition of new release breaking news and purchase links. Because this series has active information sharing on social media, combining both official and fan community sources significantly increases acquisition probability.
Release Day Actions: Numbered Tickets/Sale Start Times/Restocking Trends
- On release day, stores often implement numbered ticket distribution and entry order management, with lines forming from early morning for popular series. Direct stores typically have staff line up prospective buyers before opening, with entry times divided according to numbered ticket order.
- Sale start times basically follow each store’s business hours, but cases of earlier opening for crowd mitigation are also seen. Online sales see concentrated access immediately after start, with sellouts in minutes not uncommon.
- Meanwhile, restocking tends to occur in multiple batches within days of release, with X inventory reports becoming important clues. Particularly at large retailers, shelf restocking timing varies, with restocks sometimes found in evenings, so checking multiple times rather than judging on launch day alone is recommended. Additionally, some series see additional inventory added on weekends, with planned information gathering lowering acquisition difficulty.
Secondary Market and Counterfeit Prevention
CRYBABY has many popular series, with active trading in secondary markets immediately after release. Particularly rare types including secrets tend toward price increases, with even unopened boxes commanding high prices.
However, as demand increases, counterfeits and inferior products also circulate more easily, making it important to understand differences from official routes when purchasing. Confirming official logos and JAN codes and using trustworthy sales channels makes safe acquisition at appropriate prices easier.
Blind Box-Specific Rarity (Secrets) and Resale Trends
The biggest reason for active CRYBABY secondary trading lies in blind box-specific rarity settings. In addition to regular lineups, secrets set at 1-2 per series have extremely low acquisition probability, tending toward high-price trading immediately after release.
For popular series, secret prices jumping several to over ten times retail price is not uncommon, with a structure where scarcity drives market value established. Additionally, depending on overall series worldview and visual popularity, cases exist where only specific regular characters see price increases, with “favorite character popularity” on social media directly influencing market rates.
Furthermore, concentrated demand immediately after release makes market rates unstable, with many examples of price fluctuations over days. Due to these characteristics, recent years have seen increased users grasping market trends even as beginners while trading, with secondary distribution functioning as part of CRYBABY culture.
Identifying Counterfeits and Inferior Products (Official Logo/QR Code Authentication/Official Links)
@good_vibes_more_love Fake or real was sagt ihr? #labubu #crybaby #unbox #unboxing #help #hilfe #lafufu #popmart #aliexpress #unboxingvideo #fakeorreal #fake #real #fürdich #fyp #viral ♬ original sound – Labubu Original Store
Scanning the QR code redirects to the official website. If redirected to any URL other than this, it is counterfeit. On the official site, scratch the scratch-off section and enter the last 4 digits of the security code for authentication. Confirm the authentication result displays “genuine” and “first authentication.” If authentication count is high, there is possibility of genuine codes being transferred to counterfeits, requiring caution.
Additionally, differences easily appear in body texture, coloring precision, and part joint finishing, with counterfeits often showing paint unevenness and burrs. Genuine products have clear printing without font collapse or bleeding. Furthermore, EC sites not linked from official pages or listings at prices extremely below market rate require caution, with verification of seller information, reviews, and transaction history recommended.
Particularly secrets are easily targeted, so scrutinizing hologram sticker integrity and box condition is important, with purchase avoidance for any unnatural points being crucial judgment. Even if boxes are genuine, contents may be counterfeit, so using multiple confirmation methods is recommended.
Safety Precautions: Confirming Parts, Quality Labeling, and Target Age
When purchasing on secondary markets, quality and safety confirmation is also essential. CRYBABY sometimes includes small parts and decorations, with small components presenting choking hazards, especially requiring mandatory confirmation of target age labeling in environments where children may handle them.
Genuine products clearly state materials, paints, and country of manufacture in quality labeling, with missing boxes or instruction papers potentially not meeting safety standards. Additionally, secondary distribution often has unclear storage environments, with risks including tobacco smell, sun damage, deterioration, and paint peeling, making detailed checking of seller photos important.
Furthermore, past cases reported non-genuine products using paints containing harmful substances, making purchase from official routes or trustworthy sellers reassuring. Ensuring safety is an indispensable point for enjoying collections long-term.
Conclusion
CRYBABY is a series that has grown particularly rapidly within the art toy market through its unique worldview and rich emotional expression. Popularity has spread centered on social media, generating major buzz each time new releases and events are announced.
Understanding purchasing methods, following release dates, secondary market characteristics, and counterfeit prevention enables more secure collection enjoyment. Diverse series developments are expected going forward, with appeal deepening further alongside global fandom expansion.
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