Owner review 16, stage 2a: trademark knock-out of the 26 survivors (2026-10-13)
Status: Draft · Date: 2026-10-13 · Stage 2a of owner review 16. 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 15 trademarks.
Owner, review 16. "Any Korean adjective that might be related to good health, good fortune, or a nudge in the positive direction, social gathering, good feelings or just any other positivity in general?"
0. Services and limits
| Service | Result | Query (re-runnable) |
|---|---|---|
| TMview (EUIPO, KIPO and others) | Worked, 26 Latin queries, HTTP 200 every time. 5 s between calls. No refusal. | 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. |
| KIPRIS (KIPO) | Worked, 26 Hangul queries (53 pages), HTTP 200 every time. 5 s between calls. No refusal. | 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, 26 Latin queries, HTTP 200 every time. 5 s between calls. No refusal. | POST https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/prod-stage-v1-0-0/tmsearch, {"query":{"bool":{"must":[{"match":{"wordmark":{"query":"<Latin>"}}}],"filter":[{"term":{"alive":true}}]}},"size":100}. Returns only marks containing the word, not sound-alikes. |
| KIPRIS by application number | Worked, 12 extra lookups to read the goods of TMview hits. | Same POST with queryText=<application number>. |
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 were not searched. A 변리사 must run the phonetic search before any filing.
- KIPRIS was read by rank (27 to 90 rows), not exhaustively. Very common words (사랑 24,873 rows, 보송 24,526, 소망 2,362, 순수 2,870, 아침 7,271, 나란 36,959, 기세 3,212) may hide a live exact mark further down. Exact titles rank first, so a page with no live exact mark is a fair sign but not proof.
- TMview status can lag KIPRIS. I used KIPRIS for Korean status where both showed a row.
- A bilingual title counts. KIPRIS lists many marks as
호감 (HOGAM); I counted those as identical. - Goods were read from the first 100 to 150 characters of the KIPRIS goods text and the similarity-code prefix. "Same class" is not yet "same goods".
- EU: TMview covers EUIPO and some member offices. Goods of EU rows were not read.
- WIPO Global Brand Database and JPO were not tried.
1. Results
Verdict rule (same as reviews 14 and 15). 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 physical 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 (rank) | Verdict | Distinctiveness | Live or pending conflicts (I = identical, S = sound-alike) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutal 무탈 | Risky | arbitrary (no trouble; safe and sound) | I: 무탈 pending (filed 2026), 김세나, KR4020260113083, classes 35/37/42/44 (online mall, live-plant retail, interior and landscape design). I: MUTAL registered, 주식회사 글린트머티리얼즈, KR4020200213914, classes 7/9/37/40 (semiconductor machinery, hardware). I: 무탈 published, 김동현, KR4020250002551 (food classes). I: 무탈 registered, 정연규 KR4020210171868 (foot-bath retail) and 강명훈 KR4020200181963 (restaurants). US 0, EU 0. |
| Hogam 호감 | Risky | suggestive (good impression, liking) | I: 호감 (HOGAM) registered, 박경선, KR4020180008285 (class 35 cleaning-goods retail), KR4020200064601 (class 35 disinfectant and mask retail), KR4020180008305 (class 41 cleaning, home-help and vocational education and training). I: 호감 (hogam) registered, 한현모, KR4120110028216 (class 41 photo studio). Compounds in 35/41 (호감연구소 filed, 호감아이엠). US 0, EU 0. |
| Bangsil 방실 | Clear | arbitrary (smiling brightly) | None in 9/35/41/42. KIPRIS 방실 live rows are class 5 and 25 goods only (이은석 KR4020200195145, 195149); 방실장 (class 9, 강명한 KR4020230002374) is a compound. US 0, EU 0 (TMview returned 1 row in total). |
| Hunhun 훈훈 | Risky | suggestive (heartwarming) | I: 훈훈 registered, 서성원, KR4020200155363 and KR4020180095049 (class 35 retail of fish and vegetables; five more 서성원 훈훈 marks for food and restaurants). Compounds: 훈훈펜션 (class 41), 훈훈한 경제학교 (class 41, filed). US HUNHUN class 11 lights (not our class). EU 0. |
| Palpal 팔팔 | Blocked | suggestive (full of vigour); a famous mark | I: 팔팔 and PalPal registered in all classes including 9, 41 and 42, 한미사이언스, KR4020200193149, KR4520160002394, KR4520160002397; also 구구팔팔 in all classes (KR4020200186940, KR4520160002396). I: 팔팔 registered KR4020210148596 and PalPal KR4020210148597 (class 35), and 팔팔/PalPal filed 2026, KR4020260026031/32. Hanmi's brand protected across every class. US AUTO-PALPAL class 12. |
| Bosong 보송 | Risky | suggestive (dry, soft and fluffy) | I: 보송 registered, 배주연, KR4020210119660, class 41 (cooking and rice-cake workshops, vocational training, seminars). Compounds 보송이, 보송스튜디오 (filed), 보송보송여우 (class 9). KIPRIS 보송 total 24,526 rows, only 60 read. US 0, EU 0. |
| Gahi 가히 | Risky | arbitrary (an old adverb, "fully, quite") | I: 가히 and 가히 (KAHI) registered, (주)코리아테크, KR4020220126735 (classes 35 and 41: retail, art gallery, exhibitions, recreation facilities and information) plus KR4020220118338 and four more (cosmetics, devices); one filed, KR4020220225382. I: 가히즈 (Gahyz) 김경애 KR4020200190548 is a compound (class 42 app development). 가히스튜디오 (class 41 events) compound. US 0. |
| Hanchang 한창 | Usable with conditions | suggestive (in full swing, at the peak) | I: HANCHANG registered, 주식회사 한창, KR4020080037047 and KR4020050060869, class 9 (glass, optical and safety goods; no software). US HANCHANG pending class 20 (packaging) and HC HANCHANG class 15. Compounds: 한창한방병원 (class 42), 한창상품. Condition: the 2008 class 9 registration is the only overlap; confirm its goods list does not reach software. |
| Dagam 다감 | Blocked | suggestive (affectionate, warm) | I: DAGAM / 다감 (DAGAM) pending, 임태훈, KR4020260190969, class 42: scheduling and CRM software as a service. I: 다감 (DAGAM) registered, 장희망, KR4020210194603 (class 35 online mall, health-food retail). US 0. |
| Arong 아롱 | Risky | arbitrary (dappled, spotted) | I: 아롱 (arong) registered, 윤정래, KR4120160031516, classes 41/43/44 (dog training, pet adoption, pet grooming). EU/US: no identical row (Aarong the Bangladeshi retailer did not appear in TMview or USPTO). Compounds only elsewhere. |
| Sunsu 순수 | Usable with conditions | descriptive-leaning ("pure"); weak | None identical in our classes in KR (4 live 순수 titles: golf-wear, pet snack, spa, Busan waterworks). EU SunSu registered, Zhu Suhua, EU018340468, class 9 (goods not read). US SUNSU pending class 31, SUN SU pending classes 29/30. Many 순수 compounds in class 35. Conditions: read the EU class 9 goods; the word is generic, so protection would be thin. |
| Dungsil 둥실 | Clear | arbitrary (floating lightly) | None in 9/35/41/42. 구름둥실 (class 9, 문한춘 KR4020200191409) and 둥실상점 (class 35, filed) are compounds; the only live 둥실 row is 주식회사경농, an agrochemical. US 0, EU 0. |
| Solsol 솔솔 | Blocked | arbitrary (gently, softly) | I: SOLSOL registered, 엔라이튼 주식회사, KR4020190137769, classes 9 and 42: downloadable software and information services (solar-generation monitoring). NH SolSol (class 9, 농협) and 에어솔솔 (class 9/10) compounds. US SOLSOL class 31. |
| Dangcha 당차 | Usable with conditions | suggestive (plucky, spirited) | No identical 당차 in our classes (live 당차 rows: tea KR4020240002573, food KR4020160064384). S: 당채 registered, 박종호, KR4020250001692, class 35 advertising, franchise and e-commerce, medical retail. 당일세차전문 당차 (class 9, 이지연 KR4020190017634) is a compound. US 0, EU 0. Condition: 당채 is a one-vowel sound-alike in class 35. |
| Naran 나란 | Risky | suggestive (side by side) | I: 나란 pending, 차진희, KR4020260178485 (class 9 haptic and audio devices) and KR4020260178486 (toys); 나란 registered, 주식회사 더나티, KR4020220141339 (lighting). S: 나라니 (NaRaNy) registered, 하정효, KR4020210173380 (class 41 music teaching and performance). US NARAN pending class 28 (99937390). Total 36,959 KIPRIS rows, 60 read. |
| Mongsil 몽실 | Usable with conditions | arbitrary (plump and fluffy) | No identical standalone mark in our classes. M MONGSil (stylized) registered, 주식회사 올릭스, KR4020160111478, class 9 (LED lights, chargers). Compounds: 몽실3.5 (class 41, 문미자 KR4020220179532), 몽이몽실 (35/43/45, filed), 몽실문방구 (35, filed). Live 몽실 rows are alcohol (무학) and a pending cafe. US 0, EU 0. Condition: look at what 몽실3.5 offers in class 41. |
| Gise 기세 | Risky | suggestive (spirit, vigour) | I: GISE registered, GISE CAFFE' S.R.L., EU018778556 and EU018777727 (classes 7/9/11/21/30/32/33/35/37/43); US GISE 7674748 (classes 7/11/30). I: GISE filed 2026, 문준서, KR4020260161856 (class 35 hair-care retail). I: Gise filed, Wang Giusy, EU019415903 (35). S: 기센 registered, 김희선, KR4020240040451 (class 35 plant retail, advertising, social-media marketing) and KR4020240040484 (class 41); GISEI filed KR4020260008911. |
| Giljo 길조 | Blocked | suggestive (good omen) | I: GILJO registered, Ake Patrik Pettersson, US8489061, class 9: downloadable AI chatbot software (identical, US). I: 길조 registered, 이수길 and 김용조, KR4020160069455 (class 35 honey retail). EU 0. |
| Ballal 발랄 | Risky | suggestive (lively, cheerful) | I: 발랄 (BALLAL) registered, 주식회사 매머드아이앤씨, KR4020240090778, class 35: retail of shower heads and household items and a general online shopping mall. Compounds: 생기발랄 (9/35/41, filed 2026), JJU발랄 (9), 밍꼬발랄 (41). US 0, EU 0. |
| Sarang 사랑 | Risky | arbitrary but crowded (love) | I: 사랑 registered in class 42 design: 박준선 KR4020240036750 (typeface design), 장일진 KR4020170082474 (graphic and brand design). I: 사랑 registered, 최영구, KR4020240005876 (internet broadcasting and streaming). I: 사랑 registered, 주식회사 부영, KR4120120012358 (building and real-estate services). More than 30 SARANG compounds in 35/41/42 on TMview. US SARANG pending class 30 (99190932). 24,873 KIPRIS rows, 90 read. |
| Danran 단란 | Usable with conditions | suggestive (harmonious, close-knit) | None. Every exact 단란 row is dead (refused, lapsed or abandoned) and nearly all were for bars. TMview 14 rows, none close; US 0, EU 0. Condition: 단란주점 (a licensed karaoke-bar category) is a meaning risk for the meaning lane; the "togetherness" sense is mildly descriptive of a club app. |
| Somang 소망 | Risky | arbitrary (hope, wish); crowded | I: SOMANG / 소망 (SOMANG) registered, class 35 retail: 임영구 KR4020210252829 (rope, nets, sheeting), 주식회사 코스모코스 KR4120160008140, KR4120030025768, KR4120140038793 (cosmetics and food agency). Compounds pending in our classes: 늘소망 (35), SomangCare (42/44), 하늘 소망 (41/44). US SOMANG class 3. 2,362 KIPRIS rows, 90 read. |
| Achim 아침 | Blocked | arbitrary (morning); crowded | I: Achim registered, 윤진, KR4020220130846 (class 35: advertising, marketing, online mall, information) and KR4020220130848 (class 41). 아침 registered, 아침 주식회사, KR4020190024348 (food). More than 30 아침 compounds in 35/41 (수학의 아침, 아침 스케치). US ACHIM class 27 and AHAVATH ACHIM SYNAGOGUE class 41 (compound). |
| Gaman 가만 | Clear | arbitrary (quietly, leave it be) | None in 9/35/41/42. KIPRIS: no live exact 가만 in 27 rows read (compounds are food and cosmetics). US GAMAN class 3 and GAMAN GO class 16 (not our classes). TMview: no KR/US/EU identical. Note for the meaning lane: "gaman" is a known Japanese loanword (enduring). |
| Himcha 힘차 | Usable with conditions | suggestive/descriptive (vigorous); weak | No identical live 힘차 (KIPRIS exact rows dead or compounds; 힘차리 for fitness training was refused). S: 힘찬 registered, (주)피알파트너, KR4120100025064, class 35 orthopedic-surgery marketing; HIMCHAN (shipbuilding, KR4020100062903) is distant. US 0, EU 0. Condition: 힘차/힘찬 are near-identical in sound; the refused 힘차리 hints KIPO may see the root as descriptive. |
| Alcha 알차 | Blocked | suggestive/descriptive (solid, substantial) | I: 알차 registered, 민대식, KR4120140045707, class 35: online mall, advertising, promotion, information; a further 알차 application is pending, KR4020250149011 (car-rental information). S: 알찬 registered, 김영훈, KR4020160067124, class 42 (R&D, software updates). US ALCHA GRILLERS class 3 (compound). |
Verdict counts: Clear 3, Usable with conditions 6, Risky 11, Blocked 6.
Trademark-clear
Clear or Usable with conditions, in stage-1 rank order:
- Bangsil 방실 (Clear)
- Hanchang 한창 (Usable with conditions: class 9 glass and optical goods, 2008)
- Sunsu 순수 (Usable with conditions: weak word; read the EU class 9 goods)
- Dungsil 둥실 (Clear)
- Dangcha 당차 (Usable with conditions: 당채 sound-alike in class 35)
- Mongsil 몽실 (Usable with conditions: check 몽실3.5 in class 41)
- Danran 단란 (Usable with conditions: meaning risk 단란주점)
- Gaman 가만 (Clear)
- Himcha 힘차 (Usable with conditions: 힘찬 sound-alike; weak word)