In one of the most publicized launches in recent memory the mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-hoon, has appeared nearly everywhere  in order to introduce us to all things Haechi, the new brand identity to represent the city to the world.  He was showing off new orange haechi taxis, standing next to fluffy mascots, and quashing the competition. 

Haechi is an imaginary creature deriving from the Haetae, appearing with a lion’s head, pointy teeth, a dog’s body, and acting as a guardian against fire and disasters.   

Described in public releases as portraying a “cute and cuddly” image to the international community, Haechi has also been variously described as a respectable replacement for the ‘Hi Seoul’ scrawl or the “fruit of a bad LSD trip by a sci-fi cartoon artist.”

Unlike the Haechi Seoul emblem itself, the alternate character mascot is not a very bold departure.  In fact, it appears to hail no farther than its two other major predecessors: Wangbeomi (also Wangbomi) from 1998 which almost no one remembers and his forefather, Hodori, of the 1988 Summer Olympics.

So, for twenty years of effort we’ve basically switched from right-handed to left-handed, grown some wings, and changed from a shade of orange to a shade of Cheetos.  Check.

As the brand identity campaign continues, two stone sculptures of Haechi will be revealed in June in Gwanghwamun Plaza.  The Seoul Metropolitan Government is pushing them as city icons equivalent to New York City’s Statue of Liberty or Paris’ Eiffel Tower.  Yeah, we’re not sure about that yet.  Only time and the public will tell. 

Let’s just say we’re really glad that someone listened to rational advice and quietly put to rest their last effort at creating a city icon to be remembered by.

Want more details on Haechi?  Read more at [Korea Times] and the [Seoul Metropolitan Government].

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