Chaka: Pop Mart’s little poetic candles
By Léna: co-founder & Art Director at swap-iit
⏱️ Reading time: ≈ 5 mins
There are some figurines you’ll want to place next to a candle on a winter’s evening, with a blanket and a cup of tea. 🕯️ Chaka is one of them. His whole world revolves around light: flames, glimmers, auroras, will-o’-the-wisps. Gentle, dreamy, a little melancholic.
It’s also a brand that’s on the rise here: our members have already added over 100 Chaka figures to their wishlists. Here’s how to find your way around.
Contents
- What’s Chaka?
- Chaka series you should know about
- A brand in high demand, but rarely swapped
- Where to start your Chaka collection
- What about your duplicate Chaka figures?
- How to swap on swap-iit
- FAQ: Chaka
What’s Chaka?
Chaka is a blind box range published by Pop Mart, created by the Chinese artist Hanna Li (Cand CHAKA studio) and launched by Pop Mart in 2024. A lovely, poetic detail: the name ‘Chaka’ comes from the sound of a match being struck. 🔥 The character is a little candle fairy who comes to life when a candle is lit, capturing light, emotions and precious moments in the wax.
Whilst other characters rely on humour or a gothic aesthetic, Chaka plays the poetry card: each series explores a facet of light, and each figurine bears a name that sounds like a line of verse. A magical detail: some figures even feature a small light-up component and actually glow, like mini candles. ✨
Chaka series you should know about
Our catalogue features 5 Chaka series.
Candle Whisper
The quintessential ‘candle’ series, and the most sought-after on swap-iit. Its figures are named after states of mind: Revelry (the party), Unity, Brimming with Hope, Restrain Your Desire, Soft Embrace… but also pairs of opposites such as Float and Sink, Bloom and Wither. Revelry and Sink top our wish lists (and the secret of the series is Unity).
Light Sprite
Here, every figurine is a luminous phenomenon: the aurora, a flash of lightning, a rainbow, a firefly, fireworks, a sunset, a shooting star, moonlight. A superb series to display together. Candlelight and Aurora are among the most sought-after.
Luminous Reverie
Luminous, more contemplative daydreams: love at first sight (At First Sight), a feather, a ricochet, a tea break, a breeze of ginkgo. This is the Chaka series most commonly found in our members’ collections.
And also: Candlelit Wander & Stitch by Stitch
- Candlelit Wander: a stroll by candlelight.
- Stitch by Stitch: point by point.
A brand in high demand, but rarely swapped
On swap-iit, Chaka has a surprising profile: over 100 figures on their wishlist, but almost none offered for swap. Chaka’s collectors search high and low… and keep everything. If you have a duplicate, now’s the time to offer it up: you’re sure to find someone keen to take it!
Where to start your Chaka collection
My tip: Candle Whisper if you want the essence of Chaka, Light Sprite if you’re dreaming of a shelf that glows in every colour. And for a cosy atmosphere, nothing beats a few Chaka figures lined up next to a real candle (at a safe distance, of course 😅). To find them in the right place, have a look at our guide on where to buy blind boxes in France. They generally cost around €15 per box.
What about your duplicate Chaka figures?
As with any blind box, the more you open, the more duplicates you’ll end up with. Rather than letting them gather dust, swap them for the ones you’re missing. And since Chaka collectors keep everything, your duplicates are genuinely valuable to the community.
How to swap on swap-iit
- Add your figures to your collection with a single click from the catalogue.
- Fill your wishlist with the ones you’re missing.
- Add your duplicates to the ‘to swap’ section: a front-facing photo is enough.
- Check out your matches: we’ll show you the collectors who have what you’re looking for and are looking for what you’re offering. You propose the swap, everyone sends their figure to a collection point, and that’s it sorted.
FAQ: Chaka
How many Chaka series are there?
Our catalogue currently lists five of these (Candle Whisper, Light Sprite, Luminous Reverie, Candlelit Wander and Stitch by Stitch). New series may be added as they are released.
Which Chaka series is the most sought-after?
On swap-iit, it’s Candle Whisper, and in particular Revelry and Sink.
Which Chaka series should I collect first?
Candle Whisper and Light Sprite: the two most iconic series in the universe.