Pullip, Tae Yang, and Dal are a series of dolls released by Korean manufacturer Cheonsang Chonha, and designed mainly by Japanese firm JUN PLANNING. Each doll is about 12 inches high and comes with a distinctly oversized head.

Many of the newer releases are tied-up with major anime and game franchises such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rozen Maiden, and Kuroshitsuji. Each doll retails for about USD 80 to USD 100, depending on the type, demand, and source.

I love my Tae Yang JADE and I spend more on his clothes than I do on mine, but that doesn’t mean that I am blind to his flaws. Unlike other doll owners *coughABJDownerscough* who are crazy obsessive about their dolls and will not brook any complaints about them, Pullip and Tae Yang owners seem to have a better sense of humour about doll imperfections and consider their flaws as par for the course.

They even make a sport out of complaining about them, and then finding ways to mitigate or minimize these annoyances. These are my top five problems ranked according to severity, and I’m sure other Pullip, Tae Yang, and Dal owners can relate to at least one or two.

Fragile Joints

More distinctive a flaw in the female dolls Pullip and and Dal than in the sturdier male doll Tae Yang, the twenty-one joints dotting the dolls’ resin bodies is what makes them uniquely expressive and infinitely poseable, but they are also a pain in the ass.

Default bodies (meaning the bodies the dolls came with out of the box) are prone to snapping off at the joints if you’re not careful with them. And even if you are, aging and sun exposure can also cause them to become brittle, making them come apart at the slightest prodding.

Solution: When the default bodies fall apart, many owners choose to switch their dolls bodies to Obitsu rather than repair the original. Obitsu bodies can be purchased separately from hobby stores and on Ebay, and only a simple operation is required to attach the Pullip or Tae Yang heads to the new bodies.

Resin Stained by Clothing

Dyes from dark clothing can stain your dolls resin bodies, especially where they are in close contact at all times such as waists and shoulders. Scrubbing with an eraser can work as a quick fix, but once the stain has set deep into the plastic the only real solution for that is micro sanding.

This method however thins out the resin at the point of contact, so it is also not recommended. If the staining is severe and can no longer be covered up by clothes (or fixed with PHOTOSHOP), just like snapped joints body replacement is the only real solution.

Solution: If you intend to put your dolls in storage for more than just a couple of days, remove all clothing from your dolls and store them separately in ZIPLOCK™ bags. However, if you choose to store your dolls with their clothes on, toss in a couple of cedar chips or silical gel into the storage bin to get rid of moisture, since humidity facilitates the transfer of the dyes from the fabric to the resin.

Uncooperative Wigs and Box Hair

Box hair is what you get when you take your brand new Pullip or Tae Yang out of its box, only to find out that its wig is misshapen due to the plastic straps designed to hold the doll in place. If and when you purchase a synthetic fiber wig to remedy that problem, you find that the replacement is equally uncooperative and refuses to be styled or fall into place.

Solution: Use a toothbrush to comb your doll’s hair. Yes, you heard me right~ a toothbrush; a toothbrush will do a better job in keeping synthetic fibers in place than human-sized combs because their brush wefts are closer together and more tightly packed.

To condition your dolls hair to be more cooperative, purchase a professional wig spray used to style human wigs. They are available locally at the Women’s Accessories Department of SM Department Store Makati and The Landmark Department Store also in Makati.

Top-heavy Stance

I love my Tae Yang mainly because of its disproportionately huge but completely charming face. Unfortunately, this is also the doll’s main source of balance issues. Dolls tip over, fall back, and topple over sideways in the slightest breeze, leading to accidents with food, water, and (horrors!) art supplies.

Solution: Choose footwear wisely. Some shoes are more stable — such as hiking boots and sports sneakers. Bring some gummy adhesive like BLUTAC™ or TAC IT™ with you at all times, and use this to stick the base of the shoes to the floor or ground. They are reusable, and do not leave a residue on the soles of the shoes or the feet. And if you’re really, really paranoid (or just clumsy) bring a standing base with you at all times. It’s better to be safe than sorry 😀

Losing Shoes and Accessories

Part of the fun with Pullip, Dal, and Tae Yang dolls is playing with the beautiful miniature clothes and accessories they come with. Unfortunately, these microscopic babies are hard to find and expensive to replace, so losing one isn’t just a pain in the butt, it also hurts your wallet. Prevention is better than the cure in this case, so before you start losing stuff it’s better to simply get organized.

Solution: Purchase a tackle box from a hardware or school supplies store for storage; the many tiny compartments are ideal for storing small items separately. If you’re afraid of them sloshing around inside the tackle box during transport, you can also store them in ZIPLOC™ bags for additional protection. The ZIPLOC™ bags will also make small items easier to see.

If you’re really obsessive-compulsive, you can use MICROSOFT EXCEL™ to create a database of all the items you own, organized to your preferences based on clothing type (tops, skirts, pants, etc.) or based on which items came with the same boxed set (JADE comes with a flight suit, beret, army boots, etc.).

For more information on Pullip, Dal, and Tae Yang, visit the official JUN PLANNING website. You can also browse the Pullip sites of Filipino collectors Kaoko, Cla, and Nina. Last but not least, please join us — your fellow Philippine Pullip collectors, at Pullip Pilipinas: the hub for Philippine-based Pullip Collectors.