Kookmin University Develops and Distributes Two Original Typefaces—Seonggok and Haeong—to Commemorate Its 80th Anniversary; Embodying the Spirits of “Seonggok” and “Haeong,” the Typefaces Visualize the University’s Identity
- 26.06.24 / 홍유민
Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) has developed two proprietary typefaces—Seonggok and Haeong—that embody the university’s history and future vision to commemorate its 80th anniversary.
The development of these proprietary typefaces, which took approximately one year to complete, was undertaken to establish a consistent design identity across all commemorative projects for the university’s 80th anniversary in 2026 and to clearly convey Kookmin University’s unique identity in both internal and external communications.
The newly developed typefaces focus on embodying both Kookmin University’s “beginnings and future.” There are two types: “Seonggok Type,” which symbolizes the founding spirit and historical legacy of Mr. Kim Seong-gon (Seonggok), who spearheaded the university’s revival; and “Ha-ong Type,” which embodies the spirit of challenge and innovation toward the future embodied by Mr. Kim Seok-won, Chairman of SsangYong Group and Mr. Kim Seong-gon’s eldest son. Seonggok symbolizes the university’s roots, traditions, and the values of trust in people and integrity, while Haeong symbolizes Kookmin University’s determination to lead the future through ceaseless challenges and innovation on the global stage.
The typefaces are designed to visually embody Kookmin University’s vision of being “a university that sets the standard for higher education.” A key feature is the variable font system—the first of its kind for Hangul typefaces—which seamlessly transitions between a traditional serif font with serifs and a modern sans-serif font without serifs, thereby maximizing expressive possibilities and usability within a single structure. It is designed to allow for the simultaneous expression of various styles within a single font file, eliminating the need to install multiple fonts.
Kookmin University plans to apply the two newly developed typefaces to various online and offline promotional materials, including the 80th anniversary logo, banners, posters, videos, websites, and social media content. Through this, the university aims to enhance the visual consistency of its 80th anniversary commemorative projects and expand these typefaces into a unique brand asset for Kookmin University that can be shared by faculty, alumni, and the local community. In particular, the typefaces are being distributed free of charge under a “CC BY-ND (Attribution and No Derivatives)” license, allowing not only university members but also the general public to make extensive use of Kookmin University’s unique typefaces.
Professor Park YunJung of the Department of Convergence Design at Kookmin University’s Graduate School of Techno-Design, who planned the typeface development, “The development of this typeface was not merely a matter of creating a new font, but a process of distilling Kookmin University’s 80-year history and future direction into a single visual language,” she said. “From the perspective of the university’s spirit and history, we spent a long time reviewing materials and refining numerous drafts to naturally incorporate the meanings embodied by Seonggok and Haeong into the structure and impression of the typeface.” She went on to express her aspirations, saying, “We will continue to develop this typeface, which embodies the university’s history and traditions, into a cultural asset of public value.”
Kookmin University President Jeong Seung-ryeol remarked, “The development of this typeface is one of the 10 major projects for the university’s 80th anniversary, serving to reflect on Kookmin University’s history and present a new direction for the future.” He added, “The creation of this unique typeface will help convey Kookmin University’s distinct identity and vision in a distinctive way and contribute to enhancing the sense of belonging and pride among our community members.”
Meanwhile, to mark its 80th anniversary, Kookmin University announced its future vision, “KMU VISION 2035: EDGE,” which embodies the university’s determination to secure a distinctive competitive edge (EDGE) amid an increasingly competitive higher education landscape. “EDGE” stands for four core values: Entrepreneurship, DX (Digital Transformation), Global (Global Competence), and ESG (Sustainable Management).
Through various commemorative projects related to its 80th anniversary—including the development of these typefaces—Kookmin University plans to strengthen its position as a leader in future higher education, grounded in the values of “challenge and innovation.”
The Seonggok and Haeong typefaces are available for free download on the Kookmin University website.
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This content is translated from Korean to English using the AI translation service DeepL and may contain translation errors such as jargon/pronouns. If you find any, please send your feedback to kookminpr@kookmin.ac.kr so we can correct them.
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Kookmin University Develops and Distributes Two Original Typefaces—Seonggok and Haeong—to Commemorate Its 80th Anniversary; Embodying the Spirits of “Seonggok” and “Haeong,” the Typefaces Visualize the University’s Identity |
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2026-06-24
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Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) has developed two proprietary typefaces—Seonggok and Haeong—that embody the university’s history and future vision to commemorate its 80th anniversary. The development of these proprietary typefaces, which took approximately one year to complete, was undertaken to establish a consistent design identity across all commemorative projects for the university’s 80th anniversary in 2026 and to clearly convey Kookmin University’s unique identity in both internal and external communications. The newly developed typefaces focus on embodying both Kookmin University’s “beginnings and future.” There are two types: “Seonggok Type,” which symbolizes the founding spirit and historical legacy of Mr. Kim Seong-gon (Seonggok), who spearheaded the university’s revival; and “Ha-ong Type,” which embodies the spirit of challenge and innovation toward the future embodied by Mr. Kim Seok-won, Chairman of SsangYong Group and Mr. Kim Seong-gon’s eldest son. Seonggok symbolizes the university’s roots, traditions, and the values of trust in people and integrity, while Haeong symbolizes Kookmin University’s determination to lead the future through ceaseless challenges and innovation on the global stage. The typefaces are designed to visually embody Kookmin University’s vision of being “a university that sets the standard for higher education.” A key feature is the variable font system—the first of its kind for Hangul typefaces—which seamlessly transitions between a traditional serif font with serifs and a modern sans-serif font without serifs, thereby maximizing expressive possibilities and usability within a single structure. It is designed to allow for the simultaneous expression of various styles within a single font file, eliminating the need to install multiple fonts. Kookmin University plans to apply the two newly developed typefaces to various online and offline promotional materials, including the 80th anniversary logo, banners, posters, videos, websites, and social media content. Through this, the university aims to enhance the visual consistency of its 80th anniversary commemorative projects and expand these typefaces into a unique brand asset for Kookmin University that can be shared by faculty, alumni, and the local community. In particular, the typefaces are being distributed free of charge under a “CC BY-ND (Attribution and No Derivatives)” license, allowing not only university members but also the general public to make extensive use of Kookmin University’s unique typefaces. Professor Park YunJung of the Department of Convergence Design at Kookmin University’s Graduate School of Techno-Design, who planned the typeface development, “The development of this typeface was not merely a matter of creating a new font, but a process of distilling Kookmin University’s 80-year history and future direction into a single visual language,” she said. “From the perspective of the university’s spirit and history, we spent a long time reviewing materials and refining numerous drafts to naturally incorporate the meanings embodied by Seonggok and Haeong into the structure and impression of the typeface.” She went on to express her aspirations, saying, “We will continue to develop this typeface, which embodies the university’s history and traditions, into a cultural asset of public value.” Kookmin University President Jeong Seung-ryeol remarked, “The development of this typeface is one of the 10 major projects for the university’s 80th anniversary, serving to reflect on Kookmin University’s history and present a new direction for the future.” He added, “The creation of this unique typeface will help convey Kookmin University’s distinct identity and vision in a distinctive way and contribute to enhancing the sense of belonging and pride among our community members.” Meanwhile, to mark its 80th anniversary, Kookmin University announced its future vision, “KMU VISION 2035: EDGE,” which embodies the university’s determination to secure a distinctive competitive edge (EDGE) amid an increasingly competitive higher education landscape. “EDGE” stands for four core values: Entrepreneurship, DX (Digital Transformation), Global (Global Competence), and ESG (Sustainable Management). Through various commemorative projects related to its 80th anniversary—including the development of these typefaces—Kookmin University plans to strengthen its position as a leader in future higher education, grounded in the values of “challenge and innovation.” The Seonggok and Haeong typefaces are available for free download on the Kookmin University website.
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