Line Friends (stylized in all caps) are featured characters, invented by Kang Byeong Mok (a South Korean designer), based on the stickers from diverse applications of Naver Corporation and the messaging app Line. It was released in 2015 by Line Corporation, a Japanese subsidiary of the South Korean internet search giant Naver Corporation. These characters are used in various products, animation, game, cafe, hotel and theme park. The brand is currently managed by its subsidiary Line Friends Corporation since 2015.[1][2][3][4][5]
Apart from its online store, physical stores have been opened in Seoul, South Korea, Tokyo (Harajuku), Bangkok (Siam Square), Shanghai (Huaihai Road), (Xintiandi), (Wujiaochang), Chengdu (Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li), Guangzhou (Grandview Mall), Chongqing (Guotai Plaza), Shenzhen (Coastal City), Nanjing (Katherine Park), Beijing (Beijing Yintai Centre), Hangzhou (Hubin Intime In77), Hong Kong (APM Mall), Taipei, Singapore (Funan Mall), New York City (Times Square) and Los Angeles (Hollywood Boulevard).[6][7]
