Dear members of SSJ-Forum, 

We cordially invite you to GAS Lecture Series on January 19 (Mon), 2026. This event will be held only in person and please register the form below.

GAS Lecture Series #10 "Before Molly, After LABUBU: The Circulation of Ideas and the Changing Cultural Economy" 

Date and Time: January 19 (Mon), 2026, 10:00-11:30 (JST)

Venue: Main Conference Room (3F), Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, Utokyo 

Title: Before Molly, After LABUBU: The Circulation of Ideas and the Changing Cultural Economy

Speaker: Lui Tai-lok, Adjunct Research Chair Professor, The Education University of Hong Kong

Moderator: Shigeto Sonoda, Professor, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), University of Tokyo

 

Abstract: 

The success of Pop Mart in selling figurines, not just in China but in many parts of the world, has not only caught the attention of young consumers but also active investors in the stock market. Despite a recent sharp decline in stock price, Morgan Stanley remains optimistic about LABUBU's sales and, more importantly, the future performance of Pop Mart. Within a short period, people's interest in the cultural economy revives. The new keyword is IP (intellectual property), and once again, the cultural economy (and/or creative culture) matters (and probably more so to China). However, the idea of selling figurines is not new. To name a few household names, Kaiyodo and BE@RBRICK are notable and influential producers that have shaped the global toy market over the past few decades. At its early stage of development, Pop Mart distributed Sonny Angel, but later moved on to produce Molly, designed by Hong Kong-based artist Kenny Wong. The MONSTERS, created by Hong Kong-born illustrator Lung Kasing, made a twist and are classified as plush toys. Nevertheless, they can all be traced back to the emergence of design toys in Hong Kong in the late 1990s. This talk examines the circulation of creative ideas at the regional and global levels, exploring how one place is connected to another and how an interesting concept can trigger a wave of change. Hong Kong is always at the centre of the circuit of ideas and business transactions, at least within Asia. At the same time, it is also a place open to external influences, especially those coming from Japan.

About the Speaker: 

Professor Lui Tai-lok is the Adjunct Research Chair Professor at The Education University of Hong Kong. Prior to joining the University (the then Hong Kong Institute of Education), he was Professor at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) where he also took up the position of Associate Dean at the Faculty of Social Sciences (2010-2011) and the headship of the Department of Sociology (2011-2014). He has taught at Hong Kong City Polytechnic (1986-88) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (1988-2009). Professor Lui obtained his B.A. and M.Phil. in Sociology at the HKU and then a Master of Philosophy and a Doctor of Philosophy from Oxford University.

Professor Lui has widely researched and published in topics including class analysis, economic sociology, urban sociology, and Hong Kong society. He also actively contributes to the Hong Kong community by serving on various committees in governmental and professional bodies as well as those related to social services over the years.https://www.eduhk.hk/en/experts/professor-lui-tai-lok

Registration:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhE90yYpCAbKluaohYdsAlVEcThdzjsotE-l8Z0NT-9-K1Lw/viewform

Language: English

 

Organizer: GAS Initiative, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo

Contact: gas[at]ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Best Regards,

Global Asian Studies (GAS) 

https://gas.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA) at the University of Tokyo

https://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/

https://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp