Who invented Labubu? Get to know Kasing Lung, the artist behind the now-beloved furry monster with the mischievous grin and serrated teeth.

Labubu has grown more and more popular in recent months. A growing number of people have become fond of the furry little monster with serrated teeth. Some have also started to love Labubu’s other companions collectively known as The Monsters. Demand for their figurines and any Labubu-themed merchandise has risen exponentially and shows no signs of stopping.

Behind Labubu and her monster friends is artist Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong native who for years has continued to expand the world of Labubu and the Monsters. Read on to find out more abou the artist.

[Hero image: Instagram @belowground.hk]

Kasing Lung was born in Hong Kong in 1972 but soon moved to the Netherlands with his family. It was there that he became fascinated with Nordic folklore, which served as the inspiration behind Labubu and The Monsters. 

“At that time, there were no game consoles or computers, so I had to draw dolls with a pen, so I had the idea of painting fairy tales since I was a child,” Lung said in an interview with Hypebeast as reported by Bangkok Post. 

Lung became a children’s book illustrator while he was living in Belgium and became the first Chinese person to win the Illustration Award. In 2013, he published a Chinese illustration book called My Little Planet, followed by another children’s book entitled Lizzy Wil Dansen, which he worked on with writer Brigitte Minne. 

It was in 2015 when Kasing Lung created The Monsters. The Hong Kon artist took cues from the folklore and mythology he became familiar with when growing up in the Netherlands to create the characters. The Monsters include Zimomo, Tycoco, Spooky, and of course, beloved Labubu.

Labubu and her friends have since exploded in popularity. Just Labubu herself has been released in over 300 different iterations. Because of the high demand, certain Labubu figures that are rare can cost exorbitant amounts. Fortunately, those that you buy in the Pop Mart store are still somewhat reasonable. 

Not that it needed any help to be more popular but Labubu surged even more in popularity when Balckpink’s Lisa posted herself lovingly clutching one on her Instagram. As a thank you, Lung sent Lisa a mega Labubu to say thanks.

Despite being known primarily for Labubu, Lung has also busied himself with other projects. In 2020, he held his very first art exhibition in Tokyo. Lung has been doing more painting as of late but his paintings still frequently feature that mischievous monster with serrated teeth. 

Lung says that his days are spent painting and doing projects. “I’ll draw and paint until lunch, then draw some more until 4 or 5 in the afternoon. If a deadline or project is going on, I’ll work a little longer,” he said outlining his daily routine in an interview with Hypebeast.

Lung now works and lives between Belgium and Hong Kong. Much like the popularity of his beloved Labubu, he shows no signs of slowing down with his art.