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From Frenchie to fortune: Kurobokan spotlights Indonesia-designed toys
With quirky collectibles, Kurobokan puts Indonesia on the map in the so-called kidult market, proving that toys are for everyone, no matter their age.
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Global, then local: Kurobokan founder Paulus Hyu plays with his French bulldog, which inspired his Nimbus series. While the company relies mainly on overseas buyers, Paulus believes more customers enthusiastic about collectibles will emerge in and grow the domestic market. (Instagram/paulushyu/-)
"Toys are for playing with, not displaying," insists Paulus Hyu, whose French bulldog, a breed also known as “Frenchie”, inspired him to venture into the toy industry 10 years ago.
From his personal experience as a collector, the 40-year-old entrepreneur recognized that there was a global market for art toys, and his soft vinyl figurine Nimbus has been going places since.
Soft vinyl figurines have been popular for decades in Japan, where they are known as sofubi and typically depict kaiju, or monsters.
Paulus’s less monstrous characters include an adorable sleeping puppy that resembles his dog.
Most sofubi are only available in limited quantities of between 200 and 300 pieces per batch, to create a sense of exclusivity and excitement when collectors acquire a coveted figure through a raffle.
That thrill of anticipation inspired Paulus to work with local toy designers Eric Noah and Rendy Pranata to found the Kurobokan design studio, co-owned with his friend Joshua Artono.
“When you see your design on somebody else’s product, that’s a special feeling. That is what makes artists keep pursuing their dreams,” Paulus told The Jakarta Post on Sept. 1 at his home workshop in Tangerang, Banten.
