Owner review 15, stage 2a: trademark knock-out of the 25 survivors (2026-10-13)
Status: Draft · Date: 2026-10-13 · Stage 2a of owner review 15. A knock-out search, not legal advice and not a full clearance. Classes 9, 35, 41, 42. Input: the ## Survivors list of stage 1, searched in stage-1 rank order. Method follows review 14 trademarks.
Correction (review 18, 2026-10-13): Dadok / 다독 is not clear in Korea. A deeper KIPRIS read found registered 다독-led marks in our classes (다독이 41, 다독임 41, 다독365 9/35/41, 다독따독 9, 다독 인더시티 35/41), and an identical 다독 was refused in class 35 in 2024. See review-18 rulings.
Owner, review 15. "I don't want to sound like a derivative of 당근"
0. Services and limits
| Service | Result | Query (re-runnable) |
|---|---|---|
| TMview (EUIPO, KIPO and others) | Worked this time, 25 Latin queries, no refusal (HTTP 200 every time). 5 s between calls. | POST https://www.tmdn.org/tmview/api/search/results, browser User-Agent, Origin: https://www.tmdn.org, Referer: https://www.tmdn.org/tmview/, body {"page":"1","pageSize":"100","criteria":"C","basicSearch":"<latin lowercase>","fNiceClass":["9","35","41","42"],"fTMStatus":["Registered","Filed"]}. One page of up to 100 rows. |
| KIPRIS (KIPO) | Worked, 25 Hangul queries (1 to 3 pages each), no refusal. 5 s between calls. | GET https://www.kipris.or.kr/khome/search/searchResult.do?tab=trademark (cookie jar), 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. Next page only if the page was full and held an exact title. |
| USPTO | Worked, 25 Latin queries, no refusal. 5 s between calls. | POST https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/prod-stage-v1-0-0/tmsearch, {"query":{"bool":{"must":[{"match":{"wordmark":{"query":"<Latin>"}}}],"filter":[{"term":{"alive":true}}]}},"size":100}. USPTO returns only marks containing the word, not sound-alikes. |
No service refused. Every word was checked on all three.
Limits that apply to every verdict:
- Sound-alike (칭호) is only partly tested. TMview matches fuzzily on the Latin spelling (I read KR, US and EU rows within one letter of the word); KIPRIS and USPTO match the spelling only. Spellings KIPO would treat as the same sound (살랑/사랑 and the like) were not searched. A 변리사 must run the phonetic search before any filing.
- KIPRIS was read by rank (30 to 90 rows), not exhaustively. Common words (자신 27,590 rows, 가락 60,221, 발판 23,914, 돌파 15,962, 물살 6,619) may hide a live exact mark further down. TMview confirmed the KR row for several words that KIPRIS ranked low, so ranking is imperfect.
- TMview status lags KIPRIS. TMview showed KR 투지 (4020150037595) as Registered; KIPRIS shows it lapsed (소멸). I used KIPRIS for Korean status.
- A bilingual title counts. KIPRIS lists many Korean marks as
단비 (Danbi),오직 (OZIC); a plain equality test misses them. I also read titles of the form<Hangul> (<anything>), and a Hangul-identical mark with a different Latin respelling counts as identical. - Goods lists were read from the first 90 to 140 characters of the KIPRIS goods text and the similarity-code prefix (G3908xx software, S06/S07 telecom, S12 business and education). "Same class" is not yet "same goods".
- EU: TMview covers EUIPO and some member offices. Exact hits in other offices (BR, MX, TR, CN, FR, RU, CA, WO) are listed only where they matter; they are outside the three target markets.
- WIPO Global Brand Database and JPO were not tried.
1. Results
Verdict rule (same as review 14). Clear: no live or pending identical mark in our classes in KR, US or EU, and the word is arbitrary. Usable with conditions: only compounds, unrelated goods or a different trade, or a suggestive meaning. Risky: an identical live mark in a nearby class or service. Blocked: an identical live or pending mark in our classes with goods or services an app would meet.
| Word | Verdict | Distinctiveness | Live or pending conflicts (identical unless marked) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sallang 살랑 | Blocked | arbitrary (gentle breeze) | KR 살랑 pending, 이수현, KR4020250199499 (class 9 voice-recognition and messaging software) and Latin Sallang KR4020250199502 (class 9); 살랑 KR4020250199500 (class 38 mobile chat) and KR4020250199501 (class 45 online matchmaking), all filed Oct 2025. Also registered 살랑 (class 25/35/40 hanbok, 지서윤) |
| Ajik 아직 | Risky | suggestive (still, yet; "still at it") | KR 아직 registered, 주식회사 아직컴퍼니, KR4020190174031 (class 35 retail of health foods); KR 아직 (A) registered, 김성훈, KR4020170071229 (class 35 advertising, commercial information, real-estate information); 아직 + 아파트거래혁명 registered, 김성훈 (class 38 streaming, platform). Identical Hangul in class 35 and next to class 38 platforms. US 0, EU 0 |
| Dorang 도랑 | Clear | arbitrary (ditch, brook) | none in 9/35/41/42: KR 도랑 pending 고창도랑 영농조합법인 (class 31 fruit) and the national museum (public-body mark); DANGDORANG pending class 35 (compound); EU/UK D'ORANGE (D'Orange B.V., classes 19, 35) is a distant sound-alike, "do-RANJ" in French. US 0 |
| Dume 두메 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (remote mountain village) | no live identical mark in KR (29 exact 두메 titles, all refused, lapsed or abandoned); 두메푸드 pending class 29 (compound, food). US DUME BEAUTY pending, Cognitive State Systems, US50068213 (class 41 online guided training) and POINT DUME US6964863 (class 11): compounds. Outside target markets: BR DUME in classes 9, 41, 42 and 35 (three owners), MX DUME class 9. Condition: watch US DUME BEAUTY |
| Milmul 밀물 | Risky | arbitrary (rising tide) | KR 밀물 (MILMUL) registered, 유한회사 밀물, KR4020200179612, class 41 (libraries, e-libraries, book, magazine and audiobook publishing, linguistics titles): identical Hangul and Latin, class 41. 밀물탁주 (class 33) is a compound. US 0, EU 0 |
| Irang 이랑 | Blocked | arbitrary (field ridge); also the particle "and" | KR 이랑 pending, 주식회사 여명, KR4020250050717 (class 9 smart-farm software); 이랑 pending, 엄혜정, KR4020250167917 (class 16/41 publishing); 이랑 registered, 엄혜정, KR4020240157704 (class 41/44 psychology education); Latin irang registered, KR4020200236702 (class 35, air sterilizers); 이랑 에스테틱 pending (class 44). Identical Hangul in class 9 and 41. US 0, EU 0 |
| Gibun 기분 | Blocked | arbitrary (mood, feeling) | KR 기분 (givoon) registered, 이철승, KR4020210157583, classes 9, 35, 36, 38 (commercial software, downloadable apps, tickets): identical Hangul. KR gibun pending, 이영경, KR4020230103361 (class 35 retail); 기분 (GIBOON) pending (class 30/32). EU GIBUN registered, Semalou GmbH, EU018757206 (21, 30, 35). Many 기분 compounds, including 기분통장 (K Bank, class 9) |
| Dolpa 돌파 | Blocked | suggestive (breakthrough) | KR 돌파 and Latin Dolpa registered, 임동준, KR4020210217789 / KR4020210217790 (class 41: video and photo shooting, studio, film and music-video production, educational event running); 돌팡 registered (class 41, sound-alike). Identical in class 41 with event services. US 0, EU 0 |
| Balpan 발판 | Usable with conditions | suggestive (foothold, stepping stone) | no live conflict in our classes: KR 발판 (BALPAN) registered, 손정우, KR4020240179143, class 44 beauty only. 0 exact rows in the 30 read (23,914 rows hold 발판). US 0, EU 0. Condition: widen the KIPRIS read; the meaning is a mild "step up", a fair mark |
| Sijak 시작 | Risky | suggestive (beginning, start) | KR SIJAK (ㅅㅈ) registered, 김세원, KR4020240137578 (class 35 online shopping mall); 시작 (seezak) pending, 류명한, KR4020250129193 (class 35 event planning, promotion, e-commerce); 시작 (cijac) registered (class 43); 시작 registered (class 45 patent attorney). Identical Hangul and Latin in class 35. US 0, EU 0 |
| Pallang 팔랑 | Clear | arbitrary (fluttering) | none: KR 팔랑 (FARRANG) registered, 최미리, class 18 bags only. 46 KIPRIS rows, no other exact. US 0, EU 0 |
| Bandal 반달 | Blocked | arbitrary (half moon) | KR 반달 (BanDal) registered, 주식회사 반달컴퍼니, KR4020170080970 (class 9 pet-care smartphone apps); BANDAL pending, 강은영, KR4020250230994 and 반달 pending KR4020250230985 (class 35 jewelry retail); 반달 (BANDALL) registered (class 36); 반달소프트 / 반달허브 (class 9) compounds. US BANDAL & NEOUL (class 21). EU 0 |
| Danbi 단비 | Blocked | arbitrary (welcome rain); common given name | KR 단비 (Danbi) registered, ㈜단비교육, KR4020170062661 (class 41 events, education, entertainment); 단비 (danbee) registered, 주식회사 엘지씨엔에스, KR4020180064498 (class 9, 42 software); 단비 (Danbi) pending, 우혜민, KR4020260032841 (class 35 online shopping); 단비 (Danbi) registered (class 43); 단비 (Danbiro DesiGn) registered (class 42 design). Identical in 9, 35, 41, 42. US DANBI class 25 and 41/9 (DANBI AND FRIENDS) |
| Ojik 오직 | Blocked | suggestive (only, solely; "only tennis") | KR 오직 (ohjic) registered, 오직주식회사, class 9 downloadable apps and software; 오직 (OZIC) registered, 주식회사 디3, KR4020200075880 (class 41 education), KR4020200075876 (class 35), KR4020200075878 (class 38); 오직 (ogic) registered, 웅진헬스원 (class 35 and others); 오직 (ohzic) registered (class 35, 6). US 0, EU 0 |
| Dabok 다복 | Usable with conditions | suggestive (plentiful blessing) | KR 다복 pending, 주식회사 다다복복, KR4020260182763 (class 35/43 restaurants, franchise consulting); 다복 (dabok) registered, 대상 주식회사, KR4020160012848 (class 29/30/31 food). US DABOK KOREA, Zionshop, US7053970 (class 20 cushions). Food and furniture trades. Condition: the pending class 35 franchise-consulting goods; a tennis app would not meet them |
| Mulsal 물살 | Clear | arbitrary (water current) | none: 0 exact rows in the 30 read (6,619 rows hold 물살); compounds 물살림 (class 35/36/40/43) and 쌍폭물살 (Samsung, class 7/9/11, washing machines). US 0, EU 0 |
| Dalnim 달님 | Clear | arbitrary (the moon, affectionate) | none live: 11 exact 달님 titles, all refused, lapsed or abandoned. Compounds 햇님달님 and 잘자,달님 (class 35/21/25). US DALNIM, Choi Sungho, US7106751 (class 20 furniture). EU 0 |
| Chorong 초롱 | Risky | arbitrary (lantern) | KR 초롱 (CHORONG) registered, 광흥메이커트레이드 유한회사, KR4020220150467 (class 9 eyewear, sports goggles); KR 내일더초롱 (Chorong) registered, 강민경, KR4020230225151 (class 9 phone accessories, USB cables, chargers); CHORONG also listed at WO and CA, class 9. Identical Hangul and Latin in class 9, electronics and phone accessories. US 0, EU 0 |
| Norang 노랑 | Usable with conditions | suggestive (yellow; tennis balls are yellow) | KR 노랑 (YELLOW) pending, 최공희, KR4020250156204/06/10/14 (classes 29, 30, 35 food retail, 43 restaurants); NORANGNURI registered (class 35). US NORANG CHICKEN / NORANG TONGDAK (class 43). Food and restaurant trade. Condition: the colour reads close to the ball, so distinctiveness is weaker than the other water and sky words |
| Garak 가락 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (tune, melody); also Garak-dong, Seoul | KR 가락 (KARAK) registered, 가락전자 주식회사 and 장병화, KR4019840002372 / KR5020040007334 (class 9 audio, PA and amplifier equipment): identical Hangul, hardware. 가락 registered, 최유미 (class 35 spoon retail); 가락 registered ×3, 주식회사농심 (class 42 restaurants, hotels). US GARAK, Woosin Trading, US8223982 (class 30 noodles). EU 0. Condition: the class 9 audio-equipment marks |
| Machim 마침 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (just in time; the end) | KR 마침랩 pending, 정선우, KR4020250185123 (class 9) and 마침표다음 registered (class 41): compounds on 마침. 때마침 registered (class 9, compound). The one exact 마침 title is refused. US MACHIMPEX (class 7/9, unrelated). Condition: 마침랩 is a pending class 9 mark whose dominant part is the same word |
| Dadok 다독 | Clear | arbitrary (gentle pat; also "reading many books") | none in 9/35/41/42: KR 다독 pending, 한일전기 주식회사, KR4020260149310 (class 10 massagers); 3 exact titles, two refused. US 0, EU 0 |
| Tuji 투지 | Blocked | suggestive (fighting spirit; sport-adjacent) | KR 투지 (tooz) registered, 주식회사 투지, KR4020220151924 (class 9 software, data processing); 투지 (TUJI) registered, 주식회사 낫소, KR4020100051793 (class 28 sports balls, tennis balls); 투지 pending, 주식회사 블루라이언스, KR4020250229912 (class 36). TUJIA registered in KR (9, 35, 41, 42), US88062135 (35) and EU017906257, Tujia Network Technology (a travel-rental platform): a one-letter sound-alike in all four classes. 투지 KR4020150037595 (class 2/9/11) lapsed |
| Osol 오솔 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (narrow path) | KR 오솔 registered, 강관욱, KR4020230228853 (class 3/18/35 cosmetics, bags, retail): identical Hangul, a cosmetics trade. KR 포솔 pending (class 30/35/43, sound-alike, food). Osol (FR national mark, classes 9, 35, 42) is an exact Latin mark in France only. US 0. Condition: the French Osol mark; check the owner and goods in France before any EU filing |
| Jasin 자신 | Usable with conditions | weak to fair (confidence, oneself; a common word) | no live identical mark in 60 rows read of 27,590 (one 자신 title, abandoned). Compounds: 자신감 충전소 pending, 오하나, KR4020260082804 (class 41), 자신있나 pending, 주식회사 컨피던스랩, KR4020260126596 (classes 9, 35, 38, 42 and more), 자신맛맛 pending (class 35). US JASINPO (class 9, unrelated). Condition: a very common word; KIPRIS read was shallow |
2. Search log (every query, counted)
KR columns: total rows holding the Hangul word, rows read, rows whose title equals the word (or the word plus a parenthetical respelling), and of those how many are live (registered, pending or published). TMview columns: total returned and the identical or near rows in KR, US and EU. US column: live marks whose wordmark matches.
| Word | KR total | KR read | KR exact | KR live exact | TMview total (returned) | US live match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sallang | 88 | 60 | 10 | 8 | 15 (15) | 0 |
| Ajik | 127 | 60 | 1 | 1 (+2 respelled) | 132 (100) | 0 |
| Dorang | 213 | 60 | 2 | 2 | 33 (33) | 0 |
| Dume | 636 | 60 | 29 | 0 | 930 (100) | 2 |
| Milmul | 28 | 28 | 4 | 0 (+1 respelled) | 2 (2) | 0 |
| Irang | 1893 | 60 | 21 | 6 (+ respelled) | 484 (100) | 0 |
| Gibun | 3947 | 60 | 3 | 0 (+2 respelled) | 32 (32) | 0 |
| Dolpa | 15962 | 60 | 6 | 5 | 27 (27) | 0 |
| Balpan | 23914 | 30 | 0 | 0 (+1 respelled) | 2 (2) | 0 |
| Sijak | 2467 | 60 | 7 | 2 (+2 respelled) | 4 (4) | 0 |
| Pallang | 46 | 30 | 0 | 0 (+1 respelled) | 4 (4) | 0 |
| Bandal | 497 | 90 | 41 | 10 | 54 (54) | 1 |
| Danbi | 846 | 90 | 41 | 9 (+ respelled) | 65 (65) | 3 |
| Ojik | 468 | 60 | 5 | 4 (+ respelled) | 557 (100) | 0 |
| Dabok | 185 | 60 | 17 | 1 (+1 respelled) | 7 (7) | 1 |
| Mulsal | 6619 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 4 (4) | 0 |
| Dalnim | 109 | 60 | 11 | 0 | 6 (6) | 1 |
| Chorong | 5449 | 60 | 13 | 2 | 8 (8) | 0 |
| Norang | 1320 | 60 | 2 | 1 (+ respelled) | 55 (55) | 3 |
| Garak | 60221 | 60 | 17 | 4 (+ respelled) | 44 (44) | 1 |
| Machim | 686 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 121 (100) | 0 |
| Dadok | 88 | 60 | 3 | 1 | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Tuji | 621 | 60 | 8 | 2 (+ respelled) | 112 (100) | 0 |
| Osol | 477 | 60 | 1 | 1 | 2974 (100) | 0 |
| Jasin | 27590 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 35 (35) | 0 |
Targeted lookups by application number (KIPRIS, 5 s apart) confirmed goods and status for: 4020200179612 (Milmul), 4020150037595 (Tuji, lapsed), 4020230225151 and 4020220150467 (Chorong), 4020170062661 (Danbi), 4020230103361 (Gibun), 4020240137578 (Sijak), 4020200236702 (Irang), 4020170080970 and 4020250230994 (Bandal).
3. Counts
| Verdict | Count | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | 5 | Dorang, Pallang, Mulsal, Dalnim, Dadok |
| Usable with conditions | 8 | Dume, Balpan, Dabok, Norang, Garak, Machim, Osol, Jasin |
| Risky | 4 | Ajik, Milmul, Sijak, Chorong |
| Blocked | 8 | Sallang, Irang, Gibun, Dolpa, Bandal, Danbi, Ojik, Tuji |
Trademark-clear
Clear (5), KR, US and EU on the spelling searched; sound-alike not exhaustively tested:
- Dorang 도랑
- Pallang 팔랑
- Mulsal 물살
- Dalnim 달님
- Dadok 다독
Usable with conditions (8), each condition is in the table:
- Dume 두메
- Balpan 발판
- Dabok 다복
- Norang 노랑
- Garak 가락
- Machim 마침
- Osol 오솔
- Jasin 자신