Springtime in Shanghai has always drawn visitors to the city's iconic Nanjing Road.

But recently, alongside the usual luxury boutiques and souvenir shops, an unexpected brand has emerged as a retail magnet: Pop Mart, the Chinese toymaker famous for its stylized figurines and blind box collectibles.

At Pop Mart's flagship store on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, foreign tourists crowd in daily, many clutching white shopping bags stamped with the brand's bold red logo.

Among them is Yaya, a young traveler from Thailand. She's just unboxed a Crybaby × Powerpuff Girls blind box and — with a bit of luck — pulled a rare mystery figure. Her tour group erupts in cheers, drawing curious glances from passersby.

Pop Mart's popularity among overseas visitors — especially those from Southeast Asia — is no coincidence.

Roughly one in six customers at the flagship store is a foreigner, with most coming from Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Some tour groups, like Yaya's, have even added the store as a fixed stop on their Shanghai itinerary.

Tourists from Japan, South Korea and visa-exempt countries like the United States and Argentina are also regulars.

This surge in international interest can be traced back to March 2024, when China and Thailand implemented a mutual visa-free agreement, making travel easier.

But the real catalyst was a celebrity moment: In April of that year, Lisa — the Thai member of K-pop group Blackpink — posted an Instagram photo featuring a Labubu figurine, a pastel-colored collectible from Pop Mart's Macaron series.

That post set off a frenzy among fans, turning the brand into a cult sensation across Southeast Asia.

Pop Mart's product strategy is closely tailored to this demographic. The Crybaby line, designed by a Thai artist, resonates with Southeast Asian tastes. What's more, Labubu — a mischievous, cartoonish figure — has become the brand's most valuable intellectual property, bolstered by its associations with Thai pop culture and even royalty.

The numbers back up all the buzz. According to Pop Mart's latest earnings report, revenue from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan as well as  international markets hit 5.07 billion yuan ($693.43 million) in 2024 — a year-on-year increase of 375 percent. Southeast Asia alone contributed nearly half that amount, at 2.4 billion yuan, representing a staggering 619 percent jump from the previous year.

Even with more than 130 brick-and-mortar stores across over 30 countries and regions, Pop Mart's Chinese locations continue to draw waves of international shoppers.

The reason is scarcity — both real and carefully planned. Limited supply chains abroad and strategic product launches in China have created a sense of urgency.

Fans frustrated by out-of-stock items in their home countries are eager to shop across borders. Shanghai-exclusive merchandise — like Skullpanda keychains and locally themed collectibles — offers even more motivation.

Pop Mart (flagship store on Nanjing Road)

Address: F1, HY Plaza, No 288 East Nanjing Road

Business hours: Daily, 10 am to 11 pm

Sources: Official WeChat account of the publicity department of the CPC Huangpu district committee at "shhuangpu", official WeChat account of Huangpu district administration of xulture and tourism at "shhplyj", Shanghai Observer