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South Park Season 27 episode 4 explained: How does the Labubu connect to tariffs?

South Park S27E4 links the viral Labubu craze with Trump’s tariffs, showing how trade policies impact consumer culture.
posted by Tashleen Kaur
Thursday 9/4/2025 at 8:28AM EDT
  • labubus
    labubus

    South Park has always proven to be dark, unapologetically humorous and the new season 27 is no different. Created by Tyler Parker and Matt Stone, this show has become the best-rated series globally. On September 3, 2025, Comedy Central aired the 4th episode of the new season. South Park returns to its contentious take on Trump's tariffs and how the labubu craze affected South Park Elementary. 

    In the fourth episode, "Wok Is Dead," the writer skillfully blends the viral labubu craze with political satire. This demonstrated how tariffs affect consumer pricing by using Butters' inability to purchase a toy as the major example.

    Labubus is the global TikTok obsession for 2025, and its resale value is increasing due to high demand and scarcity of the commodity. In South Park, elementary school children mimic the actual world, attempting to distinguish between real and faux labubus.

    South Park Season 27 episode 4 links labubus to tariffs set by Trump


    In the episode, Butters finds it tough to make a simple labubu purchase for his girlfriend because these are imported items on Trump’s tariffs are applied, which makes their retail price even higher for a normal person. Butters thought a simple toy would have been cheap without the tariffs, but it is unaffordable for him now. Jesus is the counsellor of the school who is trying to make peace among the children.

    Women are using labubus for dark rituals, tying Donald Trump in a demonic form, which highlights the craze for supernatural satire. The methodology based on Trump and Satan continues and gets even darker with every episode. In this episode, specifically after announcing the tariffs, Trump returns to the office where he is informed that satan is pregnant with his baby, which is completely abused, and now Trump cannot leave him. 

    Butters wins a labubu for using a claw machine and gives it to his girlfriend, Red, who uses it to perform a ritual which accidentally summons Trump and Satan. Jesus is desperately trying to put an end to the labubu tyranny in which he informs Satan to leave the earth, but Satan is “bound to Trump”, so in that case, it's tough for him to leave the earth.  

    The episode concludes with the two plotlines interlinking, depicting the frustration of consumers as daily prices are affected by political policies. 


    South Park Season 27 Episode 4 - Where to Watch?

    South Park season 27, episode 4, combines a viral toy craze with a biting parody of tariffs, demonstrating that even a soft doll can amount to political nonsense. The series airs on Comedy Central and is available for streaming on Paramount+. It follows a bi-weekly schedule, and till now, four episodes have been released. 

    Stay tuned for more updates! 
     

    TOPICS: South Park Season 27


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