Labubu who? Meet 'Mallang-i,' the latest pop culture trend

There's a new pop culture trend in town.

Mallang-i, a soft squishy toy, is gaining popularity among Koreans for helping reduce stress and anxiety. 

The squishy ball trended on social media when Blackpink’s Rosé introduced it in a Vogue Korea interview last November 2024. 

Kyobo Bookstore, one of Korea’s largest book retailer, opened a pop-up store dedicated to Mallang-i at its Gwanghwamun branch in central Seoul. 

In a Korea JoongAng Daily report, 24-year-old officer worker named Lee Song-i shared that she keeps a couple of Mallang-i’s in her bag. 

“I first knew about it thanks to Rosé, but then I got curious after watching Instagram Reels. Now I’ve collected seven of them. In a world where nothing seems to go my way, at least I can squish a Mallang-i however I like — and that gives me comfort.”