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Labubu Horror:  A strange conspiracy theory alleging that the wildly popular Chinese plush toy Labubu has a curse of an ancient Mesopotamian demon has sent fans and collectors into a state of panic all over the world. Images of individuals burning their Labubu dolls have been circulating on social media, with tags such as #LabubuCurse and #Pazuzu trending on all platforms.

Labubu is a fantasy character from The Monsters series created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung. With its trademark crocodile smile and bulging eyes, the toy has become a must-have collectible item, particularly after Blackpink member Lisa was seen carrying one last year. Originally based on Nordic elf myth, Labubu was never intended to be scary. But its nine-pointed teeth and mischievous smile have now attracted creepy comparisons to Pazuzu, a demon in Mesopotamian mythology, for its lion-like face, bulging eyes, and evil smile.

Indian Content Creator Reports Nightmare Experience

The frenzy spread in India after Bengali content creator Debjani Das shared a video narrating her terrifying experience. "It's been two days since I purchased a labubu doll. You can see my current state now, it's been two days and I could not leave my bed. I could not record any videos. I'm getting extremely disturbing nightmares.". It's like someone is in the house. Because, essentially, I never actually believed in exorcisms, rituals, or evil energies. I always thought people made it up or overstated. But now I'm suffering badly myself. You can probably see I'm in no state, I can't even leave my bed. I even have a blood clot in one area of my leg. I'm going to get an appointment with a doctor today. I request that you please don't buy this horror doll. Much is going on in my life presently, and a good friend of mine told me that I should burn it. So I did." After her video, #LabubuHorror and #LabubuDemon went viral, with many using their eerie tales.

 
 
 
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A post shared by Debjani Das (@sana_silk) 

From Pop Mart Shelves To Viral Horror Stories

The conspiracy has also taken off in China. Some Chinese social media users have noted eerie parallels between Labubu's troublesome face and traditional representations of the demon Pazuzu. In fear of bad luck or even spiritual damage, some Chinese fans have even uploaded videos of themselves burning their Labubu dolls to "rid themselves of evil energy."

ALSO READ: Labubu: The Quirky Toy Just Made Its Creator China’s Youngest Billionaire | Here's How

Made by Chinese toy giant Pop Mart, Labubu dolls come in a blind box, so every buy is a surprise. Speculators have sent second-hand copies skyrocketing, with limited editions selling for thousands of yuan. Pop Mart's sales have jumped over 200% year-on-year, catapulting its CEO Wang Ning into being one of China's youngest billionaires, with a net worth now standing at USD 22.7 billion.

ALSO READ: Are Labubu Dolls Really Haunted? 9 Creepy Stories Of Scary Dolls That Left The Internet Biting Their Nails

But the new Pazuzu hypothesis has cast a dark cloud on this rags-to-riches tale. Social media have accused Labubu's appearance of being too similar to ancient demon paintings, spreading "possession by demons" worries. Despite the criticism, numerous collectors remain indifferent. "I find Labubu cute and auspicious,its market value increases every day!" one Chinese fan posted on Weibo. Another commented, "It appears naughty because it's an elf, not a demon. Whether the Pazuzu panic will dent Labubu’s soaring popularity remains to be seen.