Kenny Wong and the girl who didn't want to be an icon
Before there was Labubu, before there was Skullpanda — there was Molly. A little painter from Hong Kong who changed the entire art-toy market.
The Hong Kong artist Kenny Wong had been making figures on the independent scene since 2000 — he started with the Brotherworkers series, inspired by the construction workers on the streets of Hong Kong. Molly appeared in 2006 at a charity art event: the children whose portraits Wong drew had the distinctive expression of a displeased little artist. That expression — chubby-cheeked, proud, slightly offended — became the face of all of Pop Mart.
Molly is a little painter with big green eyes, golden curls and a signature pout. Born on 3 February, an Aquarius, favourite colour: lake green. She likes to daydream, play tricks and be an artist. Her expression isn't anger — it's pride.
The figure that built Pop Mart
In 2016 Wong began working with Pop Mart and Molly changed everything. She didn't just launch the company — she created the template the whole IP model runs on. Themed series, elements of surprise, limited editions, artistic collaborations — all of it was worked out with Molly. Every later Pop Mart star grew on the foundation laid by the little painter.
One face, infinite worlds
Big eyes, minimal features, a chubby mouth — a character that's endlessly reinterpretable. Molly can be an astronaut, a princess, a Disney character or a superhero, always remaining herself. Kenny Wong points to Hong Kong street culture — graffiti, hip-hop, designer-toy pioneers like Michael Lau — as his roots. Molly is Hong Kong sealed in a figure.
How to spot the original
The key series
Worth knowing
Kenny Wong and Wang Ning, the founder of Pop Mart, got to know each other better on a train travelling across China — that meeting shaped the company's philosophy: emotional connection matters more than the product. Wong himself describes Molly as a moon reflecting his own light — a character that gives him strength. She's not just a product, she's the artist's alter ego. In 2026 Molly celebrates her 20th birthday, and to mark it Pop Mart released Royal Molly Original Princess.
A little painter from Hong Kong who had no intention of becoming an icon, and yet changed everything.
The whole Molly collection is waiting here — from the classics to MEGA.
See the collection →Follow: Kenny Wong · kennymolly.com
