Baemin unveils new character 'Dochihak' for use across services and marketing

Woowa Brothers, the operator of food delivery platform Baemin, has introduced a new character called "Dochihak."

The company said Monday it plans to deploy Dochihak — a character modeled after a hedgehog and a crane — across its services, marketing and content.

According to Baemin, hedgehogs and cranes have long appeared in traditional Korean folk paintings as symbols of good fortune. The hedgehog earned its reputation as a bearer of luck through old tales of the animal carrying fruit and vegetables on its spines from fields and forests. The crane, known for its graceful bearing and long lifespan, was regarded as an almost mythical creature akin to a celestial being.

Baemin said it drew on these traditional symbols to reimagine the two animals as a new character. The company added that the character's name also captures the journey from the start of a delivery to its arrival: when read quickly, "Dochihak" sounds like "dochak," the Korean word for "arrival."

Baemin described the character's defining trait as a cuteness conveyed through an indifferent expression. Dochi, the hedgehog, is depicted with a star-shaped spiny body and small black eyes, while Hak, the crane, is rendered as a tall, slender figure leaning on a walking stick, with a spotted head and a sharp beak.

Baemin said it hopes Dochihak will grow into more than a mascot, becoming a presence that sparks curiosity and imagination among customers.

Dochihak has appeared in various forms on the Baemin app, in promotions and at internal company events since April. The company plans to apply the character across its services, marketing and content to enhance the overall brand experience, and said it will continue to expand the character's narrative universe in line with its business.

Specifically, Baemin will feature Dochihak in branding elements inside and outside the app. The company is also reviewing ways to incorporate the new character alongside its existing mascot, "Baedali."

Han Myung-su, head of the creative division at Woowa Brothers, said the character embodies "Baemin's wish to bring joy and trust to customers from the very start of a delivery to its end," adding that the company will "expand its use so customers can encounter it throughout Baemin."