[Trademark] Global Design Icon ‘Series 7™’ Chair — Registered as a 3D Trademark in Korea Based on Shape Alone

The iconic Series 7™ chair by Fritz Hansen has achieved a significant milestone in the field of furniture design in South Korea. Acting on behalf of Fritz Hansen A/S of Denmark, Y.S. Chang & Associates filed a trademark application for the three-dimensional shape of the Series 7™ chair with the Korean Intellectual Property Office. Despite receiving an initial Office Action due to a lack of distinctiveness, we presented a successful argument demonstrating that the shape of the chair is now widely recognized by Korean consumers and traders as a source indicator. This led to the registration of the Series 7™ chair as a 3D trademark in its own right.

This outcome was achieved not only based on the level of recognition earned by the product name, but more importantly, by substantiating that the chair’s design itself functions as a source identifier. Our attorneys presented the following key arguments to the KIPO:

 • Long-standing distribution history of the Series 7™ chair in the Korean market

 • Court recognition that the name ‘Series 7™ Chair’ is perceived as a source indicator in South Korea

 • Notable domestic sales figures and consistent investment in brand awareness and marketing efforts

 • Numerous feature articles in the Korean press, TV programmes, and publications highlighting the distinguished reputation of the product 

 • Supporting materials prepared included celebrity use cases and public institution adoption

This case illustrates how the shape of a designer product can achieve registration as a 3D trademark, potentially expanding the possibilities for protecting well-known furniture designs as trademarks in the future.

Y.S. Chang & Associates will continue to uphold the value of our clients’ creations with strategic legal approaches to intellectual property protection and rights enforcement.