TikTok Obsessions Gone Too Far?

Going viral on TikTok can feel like winning the lottery—until the backlash hits.  The moment something starts gaining traction, it’s only a matter of time before the internet finds something to pick at. Take Labubus and Dubai chocolate, the internet’s latest victims.       

     Labubus were first created in 2015 by illustrator Kasing Lung.  Despite being born in China, he was raised in the Netherlands, which would eventually inspire him to create the collectible toy.  Lung created the character Labubu as part of his “The Monsters” series, which drew inspiration from Nordic folklore.  Labubu is a mischievous yet kind-hearted monster with pointed ears and a toothy grin.  Although there isn’t a definitive answer to how Labubus got popular, many people credit Blackpink’s Lisa with its rise to fame.  When Lisa revealed her secret obsession for them in her video with Vanity Fair, Pop Mart, the company behind Labubu, saw its profits increase by more than 300%. 

     Dubai chocolate first went viral in late 2023, and by 2025, its popularity had only skyrocketed further.  The famous chocolate bar was created by Sarah Hamouda, founder of Fix Dessert Chocolatier.  While pregnant, Hamouda had cravings for a unique chocolate bar that she couldn’t find anywhere, which led her to create the pistachio and kataifi-filled chocolate bar.  Hamouda spent countless days experimenting with flavors and textures when, finally, influencer Maria Vehera posted a video of her eating Fix’s signature bar. The video skyrocketed to internet fame, catalyzing orders to pour in.  The high demand left people unable to purchase the dessert.  This led to people making their own homemade Dubai chocolate bars at home.  From Dubai chocolate kits sold on TikTok shop, to perfume and makeup inspired by the beloved confection, the unwavering admiration for this treat is easy to see.  The most well-known variation is chocolate-covered strawberries topped with kataifi and pistachio cream.  Over the summer, small businesses have started to take advantage of the growing glory of Labubus and Dubai chocolate to form a delicious treat with an outrageous concept.  The treat is known as “Labubu Dubai Chocolate-covered strawberries.”  Many people on TikTok have shared their opinions, some being excited about it, while others claim it’s getting out of hand.

     The TikTokers who believe it has gone out of hand have started a trend to mock both Labubus and Dubai chocolate.  One example involves people dancing in TikToks, with text on the screen saying: “Wanna grab a 24k gold Dubai chocolate Labubu, while listening to Pretty Little Baby by Connie Francis, with a moonbeam ice cream cookie?”  Without any context or familiarity with the complex trends mentioned, the quote feels like a string of random words thrown together without meaning.  That’s the whole point – users are intentionally exaggerating it by combining all the summer trends, like Labubus and Dubai chocolate, into one chaotic video, showing how absurd it all is.  Now the question is, how long will it take before the targeted audience realizes how ridiculous their obsession has become?