Pop Mart, the Chinese toy brand, opens its new theme park in Beijing

Since its debut in 2010, Pop Mart has ignited a collectible frenzy with its anime-inspired figurines.

Now, the brand is elevating the excitement even further.

Taking cues from Disney and Studio Ghibli, Pop Mart has ventured into the theme park arena, debuting its first park in Beijing.

According to the company’s announcement on Weibo, Pop Land—spanning 40,000 square meters and featuring four distinct zones—opened on September 26 at Chaoyang Park.

Instead of traditional thrill rides, the park lets fans pose for photos with Pop Mart’s iconic characters—Molly, Dimoo, and The Monsters—set against diverse backdrops, from a fairytale-inspired white castle to a whimsical treehouse.

Pop Mart is famous for its small, palm-sized figurines with large, expressive eyes and oversized heads. These characters are often dressed in unique costumes, with new series regularly introduced.

The company not only creates its own character series like Molly, Skullpanda, and Dimoo, but also collaborates with popular brands to produce limited-edition figurines of Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty, and Harry Potter.

However, the size of Pop Land is much smaller compared to China’s major theme parks. For example, Shanghai Disneyland covers 3.9 square kilometers, nearly 100 times larger than Pop Land, marking Disney’s entrance into the Chinese market.

Other domestic players in the amusement park sector include Chimelong Group, known for its safari and water parks in Guangdong, and Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Town Enterprises, which operates the Happy Valley chain of parks across the country.

Videos shared on Pop Mart’s Weibo during the park's opening show crowds gathering outside the stores and mini-game booths.

A Chinese netizen commented on Pop Mart’s Weibo post, saying, 'I always wondered if Pop Mart would open a theme park, but I never imagined it would actually happen.'

Another fan expressed hope that the life-sized versions of the characters in the park would remain faithful to the original designs.

'If not, it could spoil the atmosphere,' they added.

The brand generated a huge crowd when it opened its first store in Thailand last month. In the past year, Pop Mart has also expanded with physical stores in the US, UK, New Zealand, and Australia.

Pop Mart continues to grow, with 340 locations across mainland China, an increase of 19 since the end of 2022, and 55 more stores in Hong Kong, Macao, and other regions, according to its latest annual report.