Hojong, Mugo and Kawoo are called Kingdom Friends, and have been active in various forms of 2D/3D content, webtoons and short-form video contents on various online and offline channels since their inception.
Challenge
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) partnered with Interbrand to create a mascot that represented Korean tourism and strengthen its digital presence. Our goal was to develop a K-mascot that stood out in a crowded market while faithfully serving as an ambassador for the Republic of Korea.
What we did
Our decision was based on three animals that speak to the uniqueness of Korea. Animal mascots are also very relatable and easy to promote on various digital platforms. So, we chose three animals that are universally loved by Koreans: a tiger, a bear, and a magpie. After creating the mascots with designs from those three animals, we also created a unique universe for them.
DESIGN, EXPERIENCE, STRATEGY
Outcome
![Three adjacent mockups of Instagram posts from "kingdomfriends_official." The first post shows two cartoon characters, a gray penguin and an orange tiger, standing in front of a traditional Korean building. The second post displays a promotional poster with the words "Are you the next K-Ambassador?". The third post features a video of a cartoon bird in front of a cityscape and the text "[Kawoo TV Launch!] Kawoo is taking off!!!".](https://d338ucc43w64ir.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/10202807/KTO_Screenshot.jpg?format=auto&width=3840&quality=75)
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More work
![Collage displaying a cosmetics store featuring bright signage and products. A grid of illuminated panels above displays close-up images of faces and skincare products along with the brand names "SKIO" and "KOSE." The display is framed by a magenta-colored geometric structure. Additional images depict product displays with magenta accents and a storefront with neon signage reading "MATS JKIYO MAKE" and "カワイイ" [Kawaii - Cute] in Japanese. An animated cartoon character stands against a bright yellow background.](https://d338ucc43w64ir.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/11152826/12-04915-2023BC.0987860_CO.jpg?format=auto&width=3840&quality=75)
Interactive carousel with auto-advancing slides featuring 4 items. Use arrow keys to navigate between slides. Press Space to pause or resume auto-advance. Press Home to go to first slide, End to go to last slide.