Gentle Monster, a Korean eyewear brand, has launched civil and criminal proceedings against domestic competitor Blue Elephant, alleging widespread and deliberate imitation of its products and branding.
The dispute centers on sunglasses designs that appear strikingly similar in lens shape, bridge details and frame thickness. Gentle Monster claims Blue Elephant replicated at least 30 of its products and sold them at roughly one-fifth of the price.
According to the Ministry of Intellectual Property, it has begun an investigation under the direction of prosecutors. Under the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, unauthorized copying within three years of a product’s release is subject to punishment. Investigators believe some Gentle Monster designs were copied in less than a year after launch.
Authorities have booked Blue Elephant CEO Choi Jin-woo as a suspect. A court has also ordered the freezing of approximately 7.8 billion won ($5.8 million) worth of corporate-owned real estate in areas including Seongsu-dong and Hannam-dong, ruling that profits from the alleged copies could constitute criminal proceeds.
Blue Elephant has denied the allegations, describing the matter as a “typical intellectual property dispute.”
Gentle Monster’s parent company, Iicombined, said it filed the complaints after unverified claims circulated online suggesting the two brands were produced at the same factory or were affiliated. The company strongly denied any business or manufacturing ties, calling such claims false and misleading.
The company said concerns go beyond rumors. A 3D scanning analysis conducted by an external specialist found significant similarities across 33 products. One Gentle Monster model released in August 2021 showed a 99.9441 percent similarity to a Blue Elephant product launched in March 2023. Thirteen models exceeded 99 percent similarity, while 28 surpassed 95 percent.
Iicombined also pointed to similarities in store design and accessories. It cited strong resemblances between Gentle Monster’s Shanghai flagship, opened in 2021, and Blue Elephant’s Myeongdong store, opened in 2024. The company added that a pouch design released by Gentle Monster in 2021 was later filed and registered in the name of Blue Elephant’s CEO in 2023. A design invalidation trial is currently pending.
Gentle Monster said it is pursuing legal action to protect its brand identity and prevent consumer confusion. Industry observers say the case could become a landmark test for how far design and spatial concepts are protected as intellectual property in fashion retail.
yoohong@heraldcorp.com
