Fresh ideas from Kookmin University students have transformed the historical figures on Korean banknotes into trendy, modern characters.
Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation (KOMSCO) on the 30th unveiled "JOFAMS," a worldview marketing character brand, at its Currency Products Store near Gwangheungchang Station in Seoul. Developed jointly with Kookmin University, the characters aim to shed new light on the cultural value of currency and deepen engagement with the MZ generation amid the trend toward a cashless society.
JOFAMS is a portmanteau of "JOPYE" (the Korean word for minting) and "Fams" (family). The brand was born out of approximately one year of planning through an industry-academia partnership with Kookmin University.
The project went beyond simply creating characters. It established a robust storyline called "Wonniverse" — a universe in which the historical figures depicted on banknotes are given new missions for the digital age.
Starting in April 2025, KOMSCO actively incorporated students' ideas through in-depth interviews, strategy sessions, discussions, and a formal cooperation agreement with Kookmin University. This process allowed the characters' identities to be expressed in an intuitive yet fresh and creative way that resonates with the MZ generation's sensibility.
Kim Sung-soo, a professor in Kookmin University's School of Media and Advertising who supervised the participating students, emphasized that the result "reinterprets the historical narratives and artistic aesthetics of the great figures on our currency through 'fun' and 'story' at a level the MZ generation can relate to." He added, "The students' fresh ideas are embedded in the character designs."
The three characters unveiled embody the banknote figures in spirit form, emphasizing an air of mystery. Each character is linked to one of KOMSCO's core business areas. Hunmin (King Sejong the Great) represents the cultural business, Sunsik (Admiral Yi Sun-sin) represents the medal and coin business, and Daim (Shin Saimdang) represents the security printing business.
KOMSCO plans to use the characters representing each business area to bolster its brand value and business competitiveness.
As consumers increasingly show interest in the stories behind products, KOMSCO will expand communication with consumers through its website, online shopping mall, and social media channels, where the characters will introduce the corporation's products and behind-the-scenes production stories.
The corporation also expects to broaden its customer base by producing character merchandise as part of its popular "currency goods" product line and expanding customer touchpoints through pop-up events.
KOMSCO CEO Sung Chang-hoon said, "Currency is more than a mere payment tool — it is a cultural asset that carries a nation's history and identity." He added, "We hope that King Sejong's spirit of innovation, Shin Saimdang's artistic vision, and Admiral Yi Sun-sin's spirit of challenge will come alive through their encounter with today's MZ generation."
He also urged the public to "watch KOMSCO's challenge as it sheds its rigid public institution image and transforms into a 'K-Culture content enterprise' that inspires the people."
