Historical Figures on Banknotes Get a Makeover... Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation (KOMSCO) Launches "Money Plush" Keyrings

[Financial News, Daejeon—Kim Won-jun] Historical figures depicted on banknotes are being reborn as friendly, distinctive characters.
 Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation (KOMSCO) announced on the 6th that it will launch three new JOFAMS money plushes on the 7th. The products are part of Moneymade, KOMSCO's upcycling brand that uses currency byproducts, and were created using the characters developed from fresh ideas by students at Kookmin University.
 The name "JOFAMS" combines "jopye," referring to minting and security printing, with "Fams," short for family. The characters are the result of an industry-academic partnership between KOMSCO and Kookmin University, created to convey the meaning and value embedded in currency in an entertaining way as cash use declines. Within a fictional universe called "Wonniverse," they are members of KOMSCO's family, with each character assigned to a different area of the organization's business.
 Jo Hun-min, modeled after Sejong the Great, oversees cultural affairs. Jo Daim, a reinterpretation of Shin Saimdang, is a currency designer, while Jo Sunsik, based on Admiral Yi Sun-sin, works as a coin sculptor. Their distinctive and approachable appearances move beyond the solemn portraits of the historical figures and make them more relatable.
 The JOFAMS money plushes being introduced this time come in the form of plush keyrings that can be attached to bags or personal belongings. The acrylic "JOFAMS" charm attached to each plush contains an actual fragment of a byproduct generated during the production of 50,000-won banknotes, making it particularly eye-catching. The products were designed as lucky charms and encouragement gifts for people facing exams, job interviews or new challenges.
 Moneymade is KOMSCO's in-house upcycling brand, which recycles approximately 100 metric tons or more of byproducts generated annually during the currency manufacturing process and transforms them into eco-friendly goods.
 Sung Chang-hoon, president of KOMSCO, said, "Thanks to the students' creative imagination, the historical figures on banknotes were able to awaken in a more approachable form." He added, "I hope JOFAMS will serve as an opportunity to make the historical value of currency and KOMSCO's role more familiar to the public."
 The JOFAMS money plushes will be available from October 7 through online and offline channels, including KOMSCO's shopping mall and currency product sales outlets.
 Meanwhile, amid the recent "baekku," or bag-decorating, trend among younger people, in which bags are embellished with plush keyrings, the new products target the tastes of people in their 20s and 30s who seek both eco-conscious consumption and exclusivity. Beyond being simple character merchandise, the products feature a limited-edition element containing actual currency fragments and are expected to become popular as fun collectibles that symbolize good financial fortune.

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