Xiaohongshu unboxing videos as popular culture: a qualitative case study of “Labubu” and “Twinkle Twinkle” blind box consumption among selected UTAR Kampar campus female students

Wong, Xian Yue (2026) Xiaohongshu unboxing videos as popular culture: a qualitative case study of “Labubu” and “Twinkle Twinkle” blind box consumption among selected UTAR Kampar campus female students. Final Year Project, UTAR.

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Abstract

Blind boxes have become a major feature of popular culture, especially among female youth, where consumption becomes symbolic, aesthetic, and emotional meaning. Blind box consumption is becoming increasingly mediated by digital platforms like Xiaohongshu, where unboxing videos, reviews, and visual storytelling turn private consumptions into public and interactive experiences. Among the wide range of blind box, “Labubu” and “Twinkle Twinkle” stand out among them. The major consumer base of blind box and Xiaohongshu’s user are female youth, reflecting the logic of cultural industry, which strategically designs and promotes cultural products that target particular audiences in order to foster emotional attachment and repeat consumption. The popularity and cultural significance of “Labubu” and “Twinkle Twinkle” are further increased by the dissemination of unboxing videos and their visibility through celebrity appearances and social media exposure. Since the unpredictability, surprise, and excitement of unboxing produce enjoyable and emotionally fulfilling experiences, many people consume blind boxes for enjoyment and entertainment. The craze of blind boxes consumption and queuing in line for them has become a prominent phenomenon. Despite the blind boxes’ increasing online prominence, less empirical research has examined at how female youth engage with these particular blind boxes on Xiaohongshu. With an emphasis on “Labubu” and “Twinkle Twinkle”, this study examines Xiaohongshu unboxing videos as a type of popular culture and how they affect blind box consumption among a subset of female students at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Kampar Campus. This study uses qualitative research, and data was collected through focus group discussions. From this study, it provides in-depth insight of female motivations and attitudes of blind box consumption.

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