Diplomacy Journal David Kendall | On January 23, 2026, Damhwa Media Group, parent company of Diplomacy Journal, filed patent applications with the Korean Intellectual Property Office for the brands "K-minhwa" and "K-graphy."
Beyond simple trademark protection, the filing represents the first official branding of uniquely Korean art and brush cultures. "K-minhwa" and "K-graphy" are already the mastheads of Damhwa publications and organizations as well as terms that have entered cultural discourse. The patent registration, however, is not merely about protecting media titles. The core message is clear: "This culture is Korean."
“For too long, 'minhwa' has been sold to the world as ‘Oriental folk painting’ or ‘Asian folk art,’” explained Damhwa Chairman Lee Jon-young, "Why does minhwa, which has its roots in Korea, have to lose its identity when it goes out into the world?"
Damhwa first established K-minhwa as a "journalistic term" in 2024. Since then, it has donated K-minhwa pieces to 25 countries, taking practical steps to cement minhwa's identity as Korean.
K-minhwa is not a specific genre in the sense of K-pop or K-drama. The “K” here is a country code, an indication of cultural origin:
Not Chinese folk painting, but K-minhwa
Not Japanese folk art, but K-minhwa
Not Oriental decorative painting, but K-minhwa
This patent application has one express purpose—confirming minhwa’s identity institutionally.
The more decisive change is "K-graphy." “Calligraphy” is a part of art history and writing culture as defined by Western-trained academics. That word cannot fully capture the hand-drawn strokes of Hangeul letters, the spirit within brush-painted Chinese characters, or the philosophy of ink and negative space.
Damhwa’s Lee asked, "Why should writing done with our brushes be named by someone else's language?"
That question is what gave birth to K-graphy. The “K,” naturally, stands for Korea. “Graphy” stands for recording, writing, expression. In other words, K-graphy is not simply a condensed translation; it is a new concept—a self-contained brand encompassing all of Korean brush culture.
From traditional calligraphy to literati painting, leather-brush writing, bamboo-brush writing, and contemporary text art, K-graphy represents the first attempt to unite all of Korea's writing culture under a single name.
These patent and trademark applications simultaneously accomplish three things:
1) Name Ownership
"K-minhwa" and "K-graphy" are no longer terms anyone can use loosely—they have become branded language with official definitions and sources.
2) Market Standardization
Going forward, in overseas exhibitions, education, content, and licensing markets, "K-minhwa" and "K-graphy" become standard nomenclature. This changes pricing, copyright, and evaluation standards.
3) Enriched Cultural Diplomacy
Official cultural IP is created that nations, corporations, and institutions can use—a structure immediately deployable in ESG, CSR, and cultural diplomacy contexts.
Like K-pop, K-dramas, and K-food, K-minhwa and K-graphy have now become "art with an identity."
When we define a name, we create discourse, we create a market, and the world comes to recognize exactly what that name represents.
Damhwa Media Group's patent application is not merely one company's intellectual property strategy—it marks a turning point in how Korean culture names itself.
K-minhwa and K-graphy came about as a means to identify art forms that are uniquely Korean, and now, those two names have officially become Korean as well.
(translated by AI, edited by David Kendall)
