Korean packaging stands out on store shelves, but why? Let's explore key elements of the Korean packaging aesthetic that you can use in your designs.
South Korea is a packaging design powerhouse known for its innovation, resourcefulness, and wit. From minimalist modern designs to eco-sustainable designs that push boundaries, Korean packaging—including its incredible food packaging—is a masterclass in branding.
No matter your industry, you can learn from the techniques of Korean packaging designers to elevate your products and captivate buyers. We’ll explore the color palettes, creative approaches, and innovative shapes that make Korean packaging design so successful.
1. Bright, minimalist packaging: fresh to elegant
Korean packaging teaches minimalistic design and elegance lessons, particularly in skincare and makeup. Brands like Peach & Lily and Laneige use one or two colors per product on their packaging.
What are the must-have elements of this style of design? Think smooth lines, simple shapes, rounded corners, and different tints, tones, and shades of one hue throughout a collection. While minimalism can push a brand far, the variation comes in the marketing imagery, which can incorporate texture from water droplets to décor.
In other Korean minimalist brands, elegance is tied with specific shape choices, such as in the Elli K beauty collection created by branding and design company HEAZ. Drawing from Antelope Canyon, a beautiful natural formation in Arizona, HEAZ developed a graceful and sophisticated container system for the packaging, including a swooping gold lid that reflects the sandstone canyons. These shapes are carried throughout the collection.
Also in the elegant minimalist category is Portré nail polish, which uses irregular metal caps for its collection. Color in the minimalist category of Korean packaging ranges from cold to warm tones, all emanating a feeling of fresh, clean, and sometimes earthy.
2. Cartoon characters: sweet to boisterous
Cartoon characters in Korean packaging are a favorite of designers in the skincare and food industries. Tony Moly uses adorable characters such as cats, bats, bees, octopi, and mushrooms to help Korean skincare and makeup products connect with buyers. Cute cartoon products charm kids and adults alike, returning them to simple days full of fun and whimsy.
In the food industry, Korean products such as seaweed snacks, crackers, and ramen are all emblazoned with characters that range from sweet and innocent to charismatic and boisterous. Successful characters can amplify a brand for years and add to the story of the products. Such is the case with Hochi the Chicken, the mascot of Buldak ramen, who became so well known that the character now does pop-ups and meet-and-greets with adoring fans.
3. Living green and sustainable packaging
A leader in sustainable packaging practices, Korea shows how eco-sustainability can not only complement a brand but also become a driving factor that adds to the company’s value.
One of the largest tech companies in the world, Samsung, leads by example. It announced its Environmental Declaration in 1992, established its own e-waste take-back centers in 1998, switched its plastic packaging to paper in 2019, and continually pushed the boundaries of how paper packaging can be reused and recycled. It also encourages people to create household items from cardboard packaging, such as cat houses and shelves.
With the growing global interest in sustainable practices, beauty and household brands are following suit. Eco-friendly packaging falls into two general design categories: brown paper and metal recyclable looks, such as in Toun28 products, or bright spring colors drawing from a healthy planet, such as Purito Seoul and Pleatsmama. While the approaches are wildly different, the goal of living green is the same.
4. Banana milk to tint jelly: Korea’s fresh shape design
South Korea is a forerunner in fresh shape design in packaging. Pulling from iconic historical and natural influences, Korean packaging introduces new shapes that fit into the overarching story of the products it contains.
Binggrae’s well-known banana milk container consists of a pear-shaped container, simple green writing, the Binggrae logo, and the color of the milk. It comes in many different flavors and colors, all pastels. The pear shape came from the shape of traditional Korean porcelain moon jars, which are considered national treasures.
By linking its packaging to a historical artifact through shape, Binggrae banana milk has become a nostalgic favorite and may now be added to Korea’s state-registered cultural heritage list.
Other products, such as Missha Wish Stone Tint Jelly, the Jeju water bottle, Mudle Crayons, and “The Egg” by Tamburins, were inspired by the natural world, such as the waves off Jeju Island, crystals, volcanic stones, or eggs.
5. Wordplay and witticism: clever packaging design
Closely related to fresh shape design, clever packaging design incorporates an extra level of relational witticism, playing with words, inherent inspirational qualities, and how the user interacts with the product.
Dr. Jart+’s Shake & Shot Mask is a great example. The user must mix two packets and shake a container to create a formula that can be applied to the face. With the imagery of a face at the top combined with bright colors, Dr. Jart+ has a winning combination that makes the user enjoy interacting.
Saem’s Lip Paint is another play on words. The packaging looks like a can of paint, which the user can use to paint their lips.
Lastly, Goober’s peanut crayons combine the play on words of a child and a peanut with the shape of a peanut that children can easily use.
Get inspired by South Korea’s whimsical, witty packaging design!
With lessons from South Korea’s wide range of packaging designs, you can take your projects to the next level! Take inspiration from what you’ve seen today and create your own projects with Envato. For more product packaging inspiration, check out The 5 Principles of a flourishing brand bible and 10 top tips for designing awesome packaging and labels.
