Owner review 14, stage 2a: trademark knock-out of the 29 survivors (2026-10-13)
Status: Draft · Date: 2026-10-13 · Stage 2a of owner review 14. A knock-out search, not legal advice and not a full clearance. Classes 9, 35, 41, 42. Input: the ## Survivors list of stage 1. Method follows review 13 trademarks.
Owner, review 14. "Let's look for other words. And make sure they are usable ones"
0. Services and limits
| Service | Result | Query (re-runnable) |
|---|---|---|
| TMview (EUIPO, KIPO and others) | Refused, not checked for any word. Every POST https://www.tmdn.org/tmview/api/search/results answered HTTP 302 to https://www.tmdn.org/error/revise.html, with and without a cookie jar, with browser User-Agent, Origin and Referer. Per the brief, not retried. | Manual: https://www.tmdn.org/tmview, one word at a time, Nice classes 9, 35, 41, 42, statuses Registered and Filed. |
| KIPRIS (KIPO) | Worked, 29 Hangul queries | GET https://www.kipris.or.kr/khome/search/searchResult.do?tab=trademark (cookies), then POST https://www.kipris.or.kr/kdtj/grrt1000a.do?method=searchTM with queryText=<hangul>&expression=<hangul>&sortField=RANK&sortState=Desc¤tPage=<n>&numPerPage=30. 5 s between calls. Read pages until a page held no mark whose title equals the word, at most 5 pages (30 to 150 rows). Rows list status (LAS), similarity codes (SC: G39xx software, S06 telecom, S11 to S12 entertainment, education and business) and goods text (GD). |
| USPTO | Worked, 29 Latin queries | POST https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/prod-stage-v1-0-0/tmsearch, {"query":{"bool":{"must":[{"match":{"wordmark":{"query":"<word>"}}}],"filter":[{"term":{"alive":true}}]}},"size":100}. 5 s between calls. |
Limits that apply to every verdict:
- The EU is not covered. TMview was refused, so no EUIPO or Madrid-feed check was made. Every "Clear" below means clear in Korea and the US only. Run the 10 clear words by hand on TMview before spending money.
- KIPRIS was read by rank, not exhaustively. Common nouns (종이 134,407 rows, 지갑 96,448, 단추 39,068) were read for the first 30 to 60 rows. Exact titles rank first, but a live exact mark further down is possible.
- Sound-alike (칭호) was not tested beyond the Hangul and Latin spelling of each word. A 변리사 must run the phonetic search.
- Goods lists were read only for the hits that matter. "Same class" is not yet "same goods".
- WIPO Global Brand Database and JPO were not tried (review 13 found WIPO behind a proof-of-work challenge).
1. Results
Verdict rule. Clear: no live or pending identical mark in our classes in KR or US, and the word is arbitrary. Usable with conditions: only compounds, other-class or unrelated-goods hits, or a suggestive meaning. Risky: an identical live mark in a related class or a nearby service. Blocked: an identical live or pending mark in our classes with goods that an app would meet.
| Word | Verdict | Distinctiveness | Live or pending conflicts (all identical unless marked compound) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosu 호수 | Clear | arbitrary (lake) | none in KR (3 live exact marks: metals, fishing rods, nail salon); US HOSU is class 20 furniture only |
| Sudal 수달 | Blocked | arbitrary (otter) | KR 수달 registered, 주식회사 알파시스템, KR4020220216086, class 9 software applications (G390802): identical |
| Megi 메기 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (catfish) | US MEGI and MEGI ENGINEERING, MEGI Engineering Inc., US6708054 / 6708053, class 42 civil-engineering services: identical in class 42, unrelated goods. KR: no exact mark in the first 30 rows |
| Homil 호밀 | Clear | arbitrary (rye) | none: no exact mark in the first 30 KR rows, 0 in the US |
| Danchu 단추 | Blocked | arbitrary (button) | KR 단추 pending, 주식회사 당근마켓 (Daangn), KR4020260121931 (software, chat, portals) and KR4020260121933 (class 41 event organizing), plus a registered KR4025027830000: identical, our classes, and a large, aggressive owner |
| Jongi 종이 | Clear | arbitrary (paper) | none: no exact mark in the first 30 KR rows (134,407 rows contain 종이), 0 in the US |
| Binu 비누 | Usable with conditions | descriptive only for soap; arbitrary for an app (soap) | US BINU BINU, Binu Binu Inc., US7014225 (3), US6318625 (21), BINU BINU SOAP HOUSE US6432202 (24, 3, 21, 35): soap brand, class 35 retail of soap. KR 비누: no live exact mark in our classes |
| Namul 나물 | Clear | arbitrary (seasoned greens) | US NAMULSARANG (food, class 29) is a compound in food; KR none in first 30 rows |
| Dabal 다발 | Clear | arbitrary (bunch) | none in our classes (KR 다발: medical adhesive, restaurants); 0 in the US |
| Ohu 오후 | Clear | arbitrary (afternoon) | none: KR 3 exact marks, all refused; US OHU is class 6 hardware |
| Nari 나리 | Risky | arbitrary (lily) | US NARI, National Assoc. of the Remodeling Industry, US1971384 (35, association services) and others in 41; NARI pending NOA, T. Somasundaram (41, coaching); NARI CREATIVE US8469203 (42, web design). KR: 21 exact marks, all dead |
| Jogi 조기 | Usable with conditions | suggestive (조기 = early; 조기축구 is the name of the amateur morning football clubs) | no live conflict: KR 1 exact refused; US JOGI-HHACQUIT is class 28. The risk is meaning: 조기 reads as amateur sport clubs |
| Bori 보리 | Blocked | arbitrary (barley) | KR 보리 pending, 신재준, KR4020260186473 (class 41 park-golf events and lessons, 28); registered 도서출판보리, KR4020180113745 (class 9 software, e-books, 41, 35); US BORI pending class 25 and BORI LOCAL TOURS class 41 |
| Ibul 이불 | Clear | arbitrary (blanket) | none in our classes (KR 이불: one restaurant mark, class 43); 0 in the US |
| Gamja 감자 | Risky | arbitrary (potato); also slang for a rookie | KR 감자 registered, 권순만, KR4019385160000 (class 35 retail of sports goods, gymnastic goods, bicycles): identical, class 35, sport-related. US GAMJA GOL is class 43 |
| Goni 고니 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (swan) | KR 고니 registered, 주식회사 백조씽크 (kitchen sinks: 11/20/21, retail 35, installation 37): identical in class 35 but a kitchen trade; US GONI is class 7 |
| Dubu 두부 | Risky | arbitrary (tofu) | KR 두부 registered, 유제완, KR4021285100000 (S0601/S0701 telecom and online services: video-conferencing, chat rooms, platform access, streaming): identical, next to an app with chat. US: DUBU restaurants only (class 43) |
| Gochi 고치 | Blocked | arbitrary (chili pepper) | KR 고치 pending, 주식회사 엠에스쎌텍, KR4020260013010 (class 42 platform, hosting, e-commerce software) and KR4020260013009 (35): identical, our classes. US GOCHI is class 5 / 32 (sports drinks) |
| Toran 토란 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (taro) | KR 토란 1 exact mark, refused. US ANDOR TORAN, Andor Technology (9, 42, pending) and STACEY TORAN FOUNDATION US3809792 (41): compounds with a surname |
| Hobak 호박 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (pumpkin, amber); slang for an unattractive woman | KR 호박: 5 live exact marks, none in 9/35/41/42 in the first 60 rows (23,025 rows hold 호박). US HOBAK KOREAN BBQ is class 43. Meaning risk, not trademark |
| Sori 소리 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary for tennis (sound, voice); suggestive for audio apps | US SORISTORY pending class 9 (app), SORI SYSTEMS US8106790 (37, 42), DOBOKSORI pending (41, fitness): compounds. KR 소리: 4 exact marks, all dead in the first 60 rows (8,413 rows) |
| Sabal 사발 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (palm; Korean bowl) | US SABAL alone: 36, 3, 4; SABAL UNIVERSITY US7499416 (41), SABAL SIGN US8318442 / 8255730 (42 software design): compounds in our classes. KR 사발: one noodle mark (30) |
| Ubak 우박 | Clear | arbitrary (hail) | none in our classes (KR 우박: two nutrition marks); 0 in the US |
| Nancho 난초 | Clear | arbitrary (orchid) | none in our classes (KR 난초: Amorepacific cosmetics, a yarn mark); 0 in the US |
| Sagak 사각 | Usable with conditions | suggestive (square; a court is a rectangle) | no live conflict: KR 1 exact mark refused, 0 in the US. The risk is meaning |
| Basak 바삭 | Blocked | arbitrary (crunchy) | KR 바삭 registered, 주식회사 혼밥인의만찬, KR4017891790000 (9 apps and software platforms), KR4017859040000 (42), KR4017859030000 (38), KR4017891810000 (35): identical, our classes |
| Asak 아삭 | Risky | arbitrary (crunchy) | KR 아삭 registered, 박재원, KR4016357540000 (online social-network access, platform, smartphone-app community: class 38), KR4016735590000 (class 41 education), KR4016878350000 (class 9, cartoons): identical Hangul, related classes |
| Jigap 지갑 | Clear | arbitrary for tennis (wallet); close to payment features | none: KR 3 exact marks, all dead (96,448 rows contain 지갑); 0 in the US |
| Ima 이마 | Blocked | arbitrary (forehead; 今 in Japanese) | US IMA is registered in 35 (3 owners), 41 (Music Resource Group, US4102120), 9 (Mitsubishi Electric, US7026108 / 6159325) and 42: identical, all four classes. KR 이마산업 registered (class 35) |
2. Search log (every query, counted)
KR columns: total rows holding the word, rows read, rows whose title equals the word, and of those how many are not refused, lapsed or abandoned. US column: live marks whose wordmark matches the word.
| Word | KR total | KR read | KR exact | KR live exact | US live match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosu 호수 | 10046 | 60 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| Sudal 수달 | 229 | 60 | 9 | 4 | 0 |
| Megi 메기 | 579 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Homil 호밀 | 3372 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Danchu 단추 | 39068 | 60 | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| Jongi 종이 | 134407 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Binu 비누 | 169856 | 60 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Namul 나물 | 6713 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Dabal 다발 | 886 | 60 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Ohu 오후 | 1294 | 60 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Nari 나리 | 33488 | 60 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Jogi 조기 | 16329 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Bori 보리 | 30504 | 60 | 13 | 3 | 9 |
| Ibul 이불 | 33411 | 60 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Gamja 감자 | 22714 | 60 | 7 | 3 | 1 |
| Goni 고니 | 302 | 60 | 9 | 5 | 2 |
| Dubu 두부 | 37013 | 60 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Gochi 고치 | 3230 | 60 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Toran 토란 | 614 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Hobak 호박 | 23025 | 60 | 17 | 5 | 3 |
| Sori 소리 | 8413 | 60 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| Sabal 사발 | 10131 | 60 | 5 | 1 | 19 |
| Ubak 우박 | 8365 | 60 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Nancho 난초 | 180 | 60 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
| Sagak 사각 | 3493 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Basak 바삭 | 199 | 60 | 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Asak 아삭 | 156 | 60 | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Jigap 지갑 | 96448 | 60 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Ima 이마 | 7082 | 60 | 6 | 5 | 90 |
Trademark-clear
Clear (10), Korea and US only, EU unchecked:
- Hosu 호수
- Homil 호밀
- Jongi 종이
- Namul 나물
- Dabal 다발
- Ohu 오후
- Ibul 이불
- Ubak 우박
- Nancho 난초
- Jigap 지갑
Usable with conditions (9), each condition is in the table:
- Megi 메기
- Binu 비누
- Jogi 조기
- Goni 고니
- Toran 토란
- Hobak 호박
- Sori 소리
- Sabal 사발
- Sagak 사각
What to do before showing words
- Run TMview by hand for the 10 clear words (EU, UK and Madrid feeds).
- Stage 3 (app stores, domains, handles, meaning) still applies to every word above.
- Jogi and Sagak are usable only if the owner accepts the sport-club echo (조기축구, a rectangular court).