If you walked into a Pop Mart store in late 2024 or early 2025, you probably saw a line. Not just a small queue, but a "camping out at 4:00 AM" kind of line. Most of those people weren't there for just any toy. They were hunting for the Labubu Have a Seat set. It’s weird, honestly. How did a small, furry monster with jagged teeth and a mischievous grin become the most gatekept item in the designer toy world?
It’s the ears. Or maybe it’s the fact that they sit down.
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The Labubu Have a Seat collection is the second generation of the Macaron plush series. Kasing Lung, the artist behind the Monsters universe, created Labubu as part of a Norse-mythology-inspired world. But these aren't scary monsters. They are tiny, chaotic, and oddly relatable. While the first series (The Monsters Exciting Macaron) featured standing plushes, "Have a Seat" changed the game by putting them in a sitting position.
That small design tweak turned them into the ultimate accessory. Suddenly, you could clip them to a Birkin bag or a backpack, and they looked like they were just hanging out. They weren't just toys anymore; they became a status symbol in high-fashion circles.
What Makes the Labubu Have a Seat Set Different?
People get confused between the V1 Macarons and the V2 Have a Seat series. The V2 set isn't just a restock. It’s a total vibe shift. In this set, you get six regular colors and one secret "chase" figure. The names are as quirky as the colors: Sisi, Dada, ZiZhi, Baba, QuQu, and HeHe.
One major upgrade in the Labubu Have a Seat set is the texture. They feel a bit softer, and the vinyl faces have subtle expression changes compared to the originals. Also, the feet. If you look closely at a Have a Seat plush, the feet are positioned forward. This allows them to balance on flat surfaces or dangle perfectly from a bag strap without flipping upside down.
The colors are also moodier. While the first series was all about those bright, bakery-inspired pastels, Have a Seat leans into slightly more varied tones. Sisi is a soft cream, while ZiZhi is a deep, moody purple. Then there’s the "Secret" figure—the duo-tone pink and mint version that collectors will sell their souls for. Finding a secret in a blind box is roughly a 1-in-72 chance. Those odds are why the secondary market prices are basically a rollercoaster.
The Mystery of the "Secret" Duo
Let's talk about the secret. If you pull the bicolor one, you’ve essentially hit the toy lottery. On resale platforms like StockX or Xianyu, a "Have a Seat" secret can go for five to ten times its retail price. It’s not just about the plastic and polyester. It’s about the scarcity. In the toy community, carrying a secret Labubu on your bag is a silent "if you know, you know" handshake.
Why the Hype Exploded (The Lisa Effect)
We can’t talk about the Labubu Have a Seat set without mentioning Lisa from BLACKPINK. It’s the elephant in the room. When she posted a photo on Instagram holding a Labubu, the market basically broke. It wasn't just a niche hobby anymore. It became a global fashion trend.
Suddenly, people who had never heard of Pop Mart were scouring the internet for "the little monster with the teeth." This created a massive supply chain issue. Pop Mart couldn't keep up. For months, the "Have a Seat" boxes were sold out minutes after hitting the shelves.
This scarcity led to a dark side: the fakes.
If you’re buying a Labubu Have a Seat online and the price seems too good to be true, it is. I’ve seen some terrible bootlegs. Some have weirdly long ears; others have fur that feels like a cheap carnival prize. Real Labubus have a specific weight. They have a crispness to the stitching. The boxes have QR codes you can scan to verify authenticity through the Pop Mart app. Always scan the code. If the seller says the box is "lost," run away.
The Resale Market and Why Prices Fluctuate
The economics of the Labubu Have a Seat set are fascinating and slightly terrifying. Retail is usually around $15 to $20 USD for a blind box, or about $100 to $120 for a full set of six. But try finding them at retail.
On the secondary market, a full sealed set can easily double in price during peak hype. Why? Because people want the "pull." There is a psychological rush to opening a blind box. Will it be the one you want? Will it be the secret? That gambling element is baked into the brand's DNA.
Prices usually dip right after a major restock. If you're looking to buy, keep an eye on the official Pop Mart social media channels. They often announce drops only a few days in advance. If you miss the drop, wait about two weeks. The "panic buyers" will have finished their spree, and the resellers often lower their prices slightly to move inventory before the next series comes out.
Assessing the Quality: Is it Worth It?
Look, at the end of the day, it's a plush toy with a vinyl face. But the craftsmanship is actually pretty high. The joints in the head, arms, and legs move. This isn't common for a plush. You can turn the head to give it more "personality" when it's sitting on your desk.
The "Have a Seat" series also fixed a common complaint from the first series: the fur shedding. While they still shed a tiny bit (they are fuzzy, after all), the fabric used in the V2 series is denser. It handles being brushed better. Yes, people brush their Labubus. It's a thing.
Tips for New Collectors
If you're just starting your journey with the Labubu Have a Seat set, don't just buy the first one you see on a random website.
- Check the QR Code. Every authentic Pop Mart product has a "scratch and scan" sticker. If it's already been scanned multiple times, it’s a fake.
- Join Community Groups. Facebook groups and Discord channels dedicated to "The Monsters" are great for trading. If you pull a duplicate Dada, someone out there is almost certainly looking to swap their Sisi for it.
- Watch the Ears. In the "Have a Seat" series, the wire inside the ears is sturdy but flexible. You should be able to pose them slightly without feeling like the wire is going to snap or poke through the fabric.
- The Smell Test. This sounds weird, but genuine Pop Mart vinyl has a very specific, clean scent. Cheap fakes often smell like harsh chemicals or burnt plastic.
The "Have a Seat" collection is more than just a toy. It’s a moment in pop culture history where "kidult" culture and high fashion collided. Whether you love them or think they look like nightmare fuel, you can't deny the impact they've had on the collectible world.
How to Style Your Labubu
Since these are meant to "sit," they are perfect for photography. The trend right now is "Labubu adventures." People take them to cafes, set them next to a latte, and take macro shots. Because they have those sitting legs, they don't fall over like the V1 versions did.
For bag styling, most people use the included carabiner, but pro-tip: replace it. The stock carabiners are fine, but they can be a bit flimsy if you're commuting or traveling. A lot of collectors swap them out for heavy-duty climbing clips or designer keychains to make sure their Labubu doesn't pull a vanishing act in the middle of a crowded mall.
What's Next for The Monsters?
Pop Mart isn't stopping with Have a Seat. We've already seen hints of themed series—Labubus in costumes, Labubus with different textures (like the denim or crochet versions). But the Labubu Have a Seat set remains the gold standard for most collectors. It's the "middle ground" series that perfected the plush-vinyl hybrid.
It’s easy to dismiss this as a fad. But if you look at the history of collectibles—Beanie Babies, Kaws, Sonny Angels—there's always one specific release that defines an era. For the mid-2020s, that's almost certainly the sitting monster with the jagged teeth.
Actionable Next Steps for Collectors
If you are ready to hunt for a Labubu Have a Seat set, your first move should be checking the official Pop Mart Global website or their TikTok Shop, which often gets stock before third-party retailers. Sign up for restock alerts, but don't rely on them—manually check around 10:00 AM EST, as that's a common update time. If you choose the resale route, use platforms with buyer protection like eBay or specialized toy apps, and always demand a photo of the unscratched authenticity sticker. For those who already own a set, keep the boxes. Even if you display the figures, a "full set with boxes" holds significantly more value if you ever decide to trade up for a rare secret or a different artist series.