Marina Galperina is a senior tech editor at The Verge who works with staff writers and freelancers on reports and theme weeks. She recently started a new newsletter called The Stepback, which breaks down one essential story from a writer of the week every Sunday. (From Marina: “Please subscribe!”)

During a recent discussion of Labubus on Slack (yes, this is the kind of topic that comes up during the workday), Marina introduced us to a strange-looking object that she called her “Soviet Labubu.” So, understandably, I had to ask her about it.

Let’s start with: what is a Labubu?

For some reason, these godawful stuffed small toys / large keychains made by Pop Mart have taken consumers by storm, despite or maybe because you have to jump through all kinds of gamified hoops to get one, as The V

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