The Monsters are a tribe of mischievous elves who live deep in the Nordic forests — the world dreamed up by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung. Small, playful and endlessly curious, they pull harmless pranks and cause gentle chaos, but every one of them is good-hearted underneath. Most people know the whole tribe by the name of its most famous face: Labubu.
Though Pop Mart made them a global phenomenon, the characters came first. Kasing Lung won first place at the European Picture Book Competition in 2003 with Oki — the first artist of Chinese origin to take that prize — and in 2015, inspired by Nordic mythology, he published the picture books that laid the foundation for this world, including The Story of Puca and Pato and the Girl. Pop Mart began turning the characters into blind boxes, and in 2024 they became a worldwide craze.
Here's who's who.
Labubu
The heart of it all. Labubu is instantly recognisable by her nine sharp teeth and tall, pointed ears — and by an expression that's mischievous and warm at the same time. "Labubu" is really the name of a whole tribe of over a hundred forest elves, all bursting with curiosity and energy. They love a prank, and their boundless enthusiasm sometimes causes a bit of trouble, but they bring joy and laughter everywhere they go.
Zimomo
The self-appointed leader. Zimomo shares Labubu's face but stands nearly twice as tall, with an unmistakable large tail trailing behind him. As the older brother of Labubu Freckles, he's brave, decisive and utterly convinced he's the most trustworthy figure in the tribe — even on the occasions when he confidently leads everyone the wrong way. Adventurous by nature, he's rarely spotted in the forest.
Mokoko
The beauty of the bunch. Mokoko is easy to pick out thanks to her soft pink fur, long curly eyelashes, heart-shaped nose and white belly. She's obsessed with looking her best and loves to dress up — pink and bows are always her first choice. More elusive than the others, she appears only in select releases, which gives her a dreamy, hard-to-catch charm.
Cowawa
The tribe's rebel. Cowawa belongs to a group known for their half-closed eyes and big round noses, and lives up to a cooler, stand-offish reputation — usually found with arms crossed, hanging back at the edge of the group. If any Monster is the classic tsundere — prickly on the outside, soft underneath — it's this one.
Tycoco
Labubu's boyfriend, and one of the gentlest of all the Monsters. Tycoco evolved a skeleton-like appearance to ward off predators, but the spooky look is all bluff: he's a shy, kind-hearted vegetarian who lives quietly on plant seeds. He's the good-natured target of most of Labubu's pranks.
Yaya
A newcomer who found a home. Yaya comes from a horned elf group, marked by two small pointed horns, and has a famously terrible sense of direction — which is exactly how he wandered into the Labubu forest by mistake one day. He bonded instantly with the tribe, and now wherever the group goes, laughter and energy follow.
Pippo
The party's host. Pippo hails from an elf group known for their big ears and free-spirited streak, and there's nothing he loves more than a good forest gathering. A master fruit-wine brewer, every batch he makes is a hit with the tribe — Pippo is happiest bringing everyone together for a celebration.
Spooky
The quiet observer. Spooky belongs to a glowing elf group that gives off a soft light at night, and tends to appear only after dark, drawn toward anything new happening in the forest. Gentle and silent by nature, Spooky doesn't join the pranks — preferring to sit back and watch it all unfold with calm curiosity.
Pato
The dreamer. Pato lives high in the mountains, a sensitive soul with long, drooping ears. His most memorable chapter is a love story: through a chance encounter with a lucky scarf, he once fell for a human girl. Fate had other plans, but through it Pato came to understand the meaning of love in the human world.
Puca
The story's original hero. Puca is the main character of The Story of Puca, Volume One of Kasing Lung's Monsters trilogy — so in a sense, this is where the whole world began. Ambitious and prominent among the Monsters, he has a pair of giant wings that grant him flight and a glow of light wherever he goes, always clutches a bone in one hand, and loves nothing more than tricking the others.
Want to see these characters in figure form? Every Monsters series — from Camping and Fruits to Have a Seat and Big into Energy — puts the tribe in a new costume or setting. Browse them all on the The Monsters page, or read every Monsters series explained.