I’ve loved drawing ever since I was a child. I still remember creating my very first comic book when I was just 7 years old. But as life went on—school, work, responsibilities—I slowly forgot what I once loved. For more than 30 years, I barely touched a pen except for quick doodles in the margins of notebooks.

Then, a few months ago, something unexpected reignited that part of me. My assistant told me she had just driven an hour and a half to buy a doll called Labubu. She showed me a picture—strange at first glance, but also irresistibly cute. It reminded me of when I used to sell Beanie Babies in college, and I immediately saw the same spark of collectibility in Labubu.

Curious, I began reading about them, watching how people all over the world were collecting, trading, and cherishing them. Soon, my wife and I bought one too, and what started as amusement turned into fascination. I noticed that people weren’t just collecting the dolls—there were designer clothes, tiny shoes, and little bags made just for them. Some Labubus were rare, even worth thousands of dollars. That’s when the question hit me: