Korean eyewear giant Gentle Monster has initiated both civil and criminal legal action against rival brand Blue Elephant, alleging that the younger company copied its product designs and store interiors.

Gentle Monster’s operator, IICombined, detailed the allegations during a press briefing held at its headquarters in eastern Seoul. The company said it filed a complaint with the Ministry of Intellectual Property in December 2024 and sought provisional seizure orders twice – once in March and again in June – through the Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office to secure compensation.

“We have filed a complaint against Blue Elephant and pursued provisional seizure orders to ensure compensation,” IICombined said at the briefing.

In October 2025, IICombined also filed for an injunction and lodged a lawsuit seeking damages under the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act. The case is currently under review at the Seoul Central District Court.

According to IICombined, Blue Elephant’s products bear striking similarities to Gentle Monster’s designs. “More than 90 percent similarity was found in at least 33 eyewear and pouch products,” an IICombined official said. “Some products showed similarity levels as high as 99 percent.”

Founded in 2011, Gentle Monster has grown into one of South Korea’s most recognizable lifestyle brands, with about 40 percent of its revenue coming from overseas markets as of last year. Blue Elephant, established in 2019, has also expanded rapidly, opening a flagship store in Harajuku, Tokyo, in July and targeting an annual revenue of W80 billion (US$55 million).

Over the past three years, Gentle Monster’s revenue nearly doubled from W410 billion (US$283 million) to W790 billion (US$545 million). During the same period, Blue Elephant’s revenue surged from W1 billion (US$690,200) to W30 billion (US$20.7 million).

IICombined said the alleged copying has led to consumer confusion. “More consumers are confusing the two brands because of these dead-copy imitations that replicate both the design and function of our products,” a spokesperson said. “Blue Elephant has copied not only our eyewear, but also accessories such as pouches and even store interior layouts.”

The company cited Blue Elephant’s Myeongdong store in central Seoul, which opened in 2024, noting that its stone-based interior elements closely resemble those first introduced by Gentle Monster at its Shanghai store in 2021.

“It takes around 50 people to develop a single eyewear product at Gentle Monster,” the spokesperson added. “Some claim the similarities stem from shared manufacturing facilities, but that is completely false. We operate five independent production lines in China and one in Vietnam.”

IICombined said courts have already issued provisional seizure orders against Blue Elephant totalling W7 billion (US$4.8 million), and that internal estimates place total damages at up to W20 billion (US$13.8 million) as additional instances of copying are identified.

Blue Elephant responded with a written statement, disputing the claims. “The products IICombined refers to are not subject to protection under the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act or other relevant laws,” the company said. “We are reviewing the facts and legal issues and will fully cooperate with legal proceedings.”

A Blue Elephant representative also declined further comment, saying only that the company had “nothing to add beyond the official statement.”

Legal experts say the case may hinge on whether the court finds that the similarities exceed the limits of fair competition. “Design similarity, unlike general functionality, can raise legal issues if the degree of similarity is excessive,” said Sung-jai Choi, a law professor at Sejong University.

- Excel V. Dyquiangco