BEIJING: The mischievous grin of toothy monster Labubu helped transform Chinese toy company Pop Mart into a global phenomenon.
Now, the firm is looking beyond collectibles and blind boxes by investing in theme parks, exhibitions and films, as it seeks to build a lasting entertainment ecosystem around its growing roster of characters.
At the heart of that effort is the Pop Land theme park, where fans can immerse themselves in the worlds of their favourite Pop Mart characters.
Located in Beijing’s Chaoyang Park and spanning about 40,000 sq m – roughly the size of six football fields – the park reopened in April after more than a year of upgrades.
The revamped attraction now includes new rides, shows and exclusive merchandise tied to Pop Mart’s intellectual properties (IPs), aimed at drawing visitors looking for limited-edition products.
Plans are already in place for further expansion.
An area currently fenced off across a lake in the park will be transformed into permanent themed zones inspired by other popular characters, including Skullpanda and Twinkle Twinkle, Pop Mart told CNA. Construction is expected to begin next year.
While the move reflects Pop Mart’s broader strategy of creating experiences around its characters, rather than relying solely on toy sales, the expansion also raises a key question: Whether Pop Mart can create another success story on the scale of Labubu.