Moments after hearing about the L.O.L. Surprise! Big Surprise on a Chicago radio station, Crystal Lessner was on the hunt for the popular — and increasingly sold out — toy.
But first, she had to figure out what it was.
She logged on to YouTube, where a 24-minute “unboxing” video clued her in.
The $69.99 toy, she learned, is quite simple: A glittery, dome-shaped plastic case filled with 50 surprises — four dolls, along with accessories, clothing, charms and other knick-knacks — that must be individually unwrapped. But much of the appeal of the Big Surprise is in its slow reveal. It can take hours, purchasers say, to peel away the toy’s layers and figure out exactly what’s buried inside. Some dolls cry, spit or “tinkle.” Others change color in cold water.
Watching that process unfold has become a pastime in itself, and there are thousands of L.O.L. Surprise unboxing videos on YouTube to prove it. One, a 13-minute video of a woman opening the Big Surprise has been viewed 6.1 million times since it was posted on Sept. 30.
Lessner fast-forwarded her way through one of them and then set out in search of this season’s hot toy.