From Labubu to 2D Boyfriends: The Rise of Emotional Merch in China

Earlier this week, I walked past a pop-up booth inside a mall near our office in Shenzhen. It wasn’t a skincare launch, fashion flash sale, or luxury campaign. It was a “one-year dating anniversary” event for a male lead from a popular 乙女游戏 (female-oriented mobile game). There were flowers, life-sized cardboard cutouts of the character, and dozens of girls lining up to take photos. A literal dating milestone, celebrated with someone who doesn’t exist in real life.

The pop-up celebrating the "one-year anniversary" with a game character (Source: Double V Consulting)

And yet, it didn’t feel niche at all. In fact, this kind of emotional participation is becoming increasingly mainstream in China’s youth culture. From fictional characters and idol merch to collectible toy brands like Pop Mart, emotional value is now driving consumer behavior.

Merch culture in China: beyond toys, beyond fandom

In China, 谷子店 (merch stores for games, anime, and virtual idols) have become regular fixtures in malls, not only in cities like Shanghai or Shenzhen, but also in lower-tier cities.

These stores aren’t targeting kids. They’re built for emotionally-invested Gen Z and young millennial fans.What they’re buying isn’t about function or status. It’s about feeling - connection, comfort, and self-expression.

We’ve seen the same phenomenon go global. Labubu, one of Pop Mart’s most successful toy characters, is now a top-selling IP across Asia and is expanding into global markets, from New York to Paris.

So what exactly is driving this shift? And how should brands respond?

1. Emotional value is the new brand currency

Whether it’s a 2D anime boyfriend or a mischievous vinyl figure, what consumers are investing in isn’t just a product, but an emotional identity.

The collectibles from a BL (Boy's love) novel are sold in a fashion toy retailer (Source: Double V Consulting)

These characters offer a type of companionship and continuity. You don’t just buy them. You follow them, celebrate their “birthdays”, attend pop-up events, share unboxings on Xiaohongshu, and sometimes even write fanfiction or create fan art.

It’s not passive consumption. It’s emotional participation.

2. Ownership today means belonging, not display

When young consumers buy game merch or a Pop Mart blind box, they’re not trying to show off wealth or prestige. Instead, the purchase serves as a personal signal: a reflection of values, aesthetics, and inner worlds.

Collecting a character keychain from a mobile game game, or showcasing Labubu figurines at home, is less about display and more about: “This is who I am. This is what brings me joy.”

Labubu for each birth month (Source: Instagram @cosmomiddleeast)

In a digital age where identity is curated across platforms, merch becomes a subtle but powerful layer of self-expression.

3. Successful IPs function like emotional ecosystems

The most compelling IPs today don’t simply “go viral”, they are carefully engineered as emotional engines. Collectible toy brands, amination and game figures and even idol ecosystems thrive on:

● Serialized storytelling

● Limited-edition drops and surprise releases

● Birthday or anniversary events

● Offline pop-ups and participatory rituals

Jellycat Cafe Shanghai Pop Up Store (Source: Jellycat)

These aren’t just marketing tactics. They are emotional touchpoints that reward attention, deepen fan engagement, and stretch the relationship from a one-time purchase to a long-term emotional arc.

Fans feel like they’re growing with the character or brand, not just consuming it.

Double V Tips:

The emotional economy is no longer niche. In China, especially among Gen Z and younger millennials, the most successful consumer brands are the ones that act more like IP builders and emotional storytellers.

That doesn’t mean you need to create an anime boyfriend. But it does mean you should ask:

● What kind of emotional value does my brand offer?

● How do I move from product push to identity pull?

● Am I building a relationship or just selling SKUs?

If you are marketing on platforms like Xiaohongshu or Bilibili, you’re already in a space where emotional expression dominates. The best content feels personal, participatory, and emotionally honest. The best brands are the ones that feel the same.

For more on how China’s toy, IP, and emotion-driven economy is evolving, check out our related piece:

👉：https://www.doublevconsulting.com/post/designer-toys-in-china-ip-emotion