Filings surge 96% year-on-year as K-culture boom drives demand; IP agency launches first design competition to promote heritage-based creativity
The popularity of K-content such as KPop Demon Hunters and the National Museum of Korea's "Muytz" merchandise line has fueled a sharp rise in design filings drawing on Korean cultural heritage, traditional patterns and hangul.
The Intellectual Property Office said Tuesday that design filings incorporating Korean cultural heritage reached 405 in the first half of this year, up about 96 percent from 207 in the same period last year.
The annual tally has climbed steadily — 431 filings in 2023, 490 in 2024 and 690 in 2025 — representing average annual growth of about 27 percent over the past three years. The 405 filings recorded in the first half of this year alone suggest the upward trend is continuing.
Small decorative items account for the largest share of heritage-based design filings, followed by printed goods, keychains, textiles and household products. Most of these fall under the "partial examination" regime, which covers trend-sensitive items with short product life cycles.
The partial examination system allows rights to be granted quickly for fast-moving goods such as fashion and accessories by waiving certain registration requirements, including novelty checks.
The core principle behind protecting heritage-based designs is not to grant any individual a monopoly over cultural heritage itself, but to protect creative works that reinterpret tradition in new ways.
Applicants should note that designs which simply reproduce the form of a cultural heritage item with little change, or merely combine existing forms, are unlikely to qualify for registration. Only designs that embody a genuinely new aesthetic can be registered.
Meanwhile, the Intellectual Property Office has for the first time launched the "2026 First Heritage-Inspired Design Selection Contest" to encourage filings and registrations of heritage-based designs that help spread the beauty and value of Korean cultural heritage. The agency is accepting public submissions through Aug. 5.
Eligible entries are designs currently registered and in active use that draw on Korean cultural heritage as of this August. Submissions may be made by the registered design rights holder, and third parties — including consumers — are also free to nominate designs they admire. Applicants can enter online via QR code or the agency's website.
Nam Yeong-taek, director general of the office's Trademark and Design Examination Bureau, said the blue tiger character "DUFFY" from KPop Demon Hunters — inspired by the playful tiger in "Hojakdo," a folk painting from the Joseon era — has gained worldwide popularity and raised Korea's profile. "We must not forget that filing for design rights is the key to fully protecting heritage-based designs that embody our traditional culture and represent enormous value built through years of investment and effort," he said.
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
