Source: Visual China Group/VCG
[Saba Sports News] During the men’s doubles final at the Paris Olympics, a close-up shot unexpectedly captured a row of colorful Labubu toys hanging on Liang Weikeng’s bag — these little mischievous creatures with sharp teeth and rebellious expressions created a surreal contrast with the fierce “Liang-Wang” duo on the court. These Labubu toys originated from a character created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung in 2015. This “ugly-cute” figure, with nine sharp teeth and an arrogant gaze, became a global phenomenon through Pop Mart’s blind box marketing. Its rubber plush series have seen a price increase of over 30 times on the second-hand market. In early 2025, a mint green Labubu sold for $150,000 at auction, becoming a popular “emotional currency” among young people. It turns out that Liang Weikeng is a dedicated collector of trendy toys. He once showed his “Labubu wall” in a vlog, featuring everything from the first forest series to limited editions. Most notably, there’s a custom-made Labubu shaped like a badminton shuttlecock, with its racket made of pure silver and the strings embedded with Swarovski crystals. This was a birthday gift for his partner Wang Chang on his 23rd birthday, and the two made a promise to “guard each other’s dreams like taking care of these little spirits.” Currently, Labubu’s parent company, Pop Mart, has approached the Chinese badminton team to explore the possibility of a collaboration. Rumors suggest that the design includes a “Badminton Spirit” themed blind box, and a Labubu-shaped badminton racket might become the official souvenir for the 2026 Thomas Cup.