BGF Retail unveils CU official font ‘Good Friend’ for Hangul Day
In short
BGF Retail, which operates the convenience store chain CU, said on 7 October that it developed an official brand font, ‘Good Friend’, with AI content platform company Sandoll, timed to Hangul Day. The font will be used on the Pocket CU app and Instagram from this month and extended to in-store promotional materials and product packaging from next month. From 9 October, Hangul Day, users can download it from the Sandoll Cloud site and use it free for three months.
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BGF Retail, the company that operates the convenience store chain CU, said on 7 October that it developed an official font named ‘좋은친구’ with the AI content platform company Sandoll, releasing it to mark Hangul Day. Yonhap reported that the font reflects CU’s friendly image, with the company noting that convenience stores are among the spaces closest to daily life. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The font will be applied from this month on online channels, starting with the Pocket CU app and Instagram, Yonhap reported. From next month the company plans to extend its use to in-store promotional materials and product packaging, according to Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily. [ 2 , 3 ]
To mark the release, the font can be downloaded from the Sandoll Cloud site from 9 October, Hangul Day, and used free for three months, both outlets reported. Seoul Economic Daily added that customers who share text written in the font on social media will be entered into a draw for CU mobile gift certificates. [ 2 , 3 ]
Seoul Economic Daily also reported planned uses in merchandise: a December ‘Challenge Snack’ carrying random phrases set in the font, along with keyring books, clothing and other goods. Yonhap reported that the typeface has also been applied to ‘초성 마카롱’ macarons inspired by Hangul consonants. [ 2 , 3 ]
Lee Eun-kwan, head of BGF Retail’s CX division, said the company will keep presenting the font in various ways so that customers can use CU’s official font themselves and encounter it naturally in products and content, according to Seoul Economic Daily. [ 3 ]
One source could not be fully used for this event: the Newsis headline concerns the CU font, but the readable article text under it describes a separate Nuri rocket launch. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The launch shows a convenience store operator pushing its brand identity into a typeface that will appear on its apps, in-store materials, product packaging and merchandise, with a limited free public licence. Outside the Korean market, the practical effect stays inside the company’s own channels and products, so the significance for other readers is limited.
Key facts
- BGF Retail, the operator of convenience store chain CU, announced an official font named ‘좋은친구’ for Hangul Day. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The font was developed with Sandoll, described by Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily as an AI content platform company. [ 2 , 3 ]
- It will be applied from this month on online channels including the Pocket CU app and Instagram, and from next month on in-store promotional materials and product packaging, according to Yonhap. [ 2 , 3 ]
- From 9 October, Hangul Day, the font can be downloaded from the Sandoll Cloud site and used free for three months. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reported a December ‘Challenge Snack’ with random phrases in the font, plus planned use on keyring books, clothing and other goods. [ 3 ]
- Yonhap reported the typeface was also applied to ‘초성 마카롱’ macarons based on Hangul consonants. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- BGF Retail announced an official CU font for Hangul Day. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The font was developed together with Sandoll and will be used first on online channels, then in stores and on packaging. [ 2 , 3 ]
- A free three-month download of the font from the Sandoll Cloud site starts on 9 October. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the Newsis report covers the font launch or a different event. Document 1’s headline is about the CU font, but the readable article text concerns a Nuri rocket launch, so the body could not be used for this event.
- Whether the font’s full name includes the ‘SD’ prefix, as in ‘SD CU 좋은친구’. Only Seoul Economic Daily uses the ‘SD’ prefix; Newsis and Yonhap call it ‘좋은친구’.
- Details of planned collaboration products and the social media gift-certificate draw. The December snack, keyring books, clothing and the mobile gift-certificate draw appear only in Seoul Economic Daily.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Newsis reports that BGF Retail unveiled the CU official font ‘좋은친구’ for Hangul Day. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reports BGF Retail and Sandoll developed the font and details the rollout and free download period. [ 2 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily adds planned collaboration products, the social media draw and a quote from BGF Retail’s CX division head. [ 3 ]