'Bugi' Gains Steady Popularity... Busan City Opens Character Copyrights for Free

'Bugi Copyright Release Project' for SMEs and Small Business Owners
Three-Year Usage Period... Additional Applications Accepted for Extensions

"Busan business owners! Become wealthy with Bugi."

The city of Busan has released the copyright for its character "Bugi," allowing anyone to use it freely. As this character, created by a metropolitan government, has gained considerable popularity, many merchants and companies are showing interest. However, it cannot be used by tax delinquents or for inappropriate businesses.

The Busan Metropolitan Government (Mayor Park Hyungjun) announced that applications for free use of the copyright of the city communication character Bugi will be accepted starting from the 1st of this year.

The Bugi copyright release project allows small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners in Busan to use the city communication character Bugi for profit-generating businesses by granting them copyright usage rights.

Since 2021, the city has opened up "Bugi," which is gaining popularity not only in Busan but nationwide, for free use by local SMEs and small business owners to revitalize the economy.

This year, applications will be accepted twice through the city's website: once in April for the first half of the year and once in November for the second half.

Busan will individually review and respond to applicants after examining whether the business or product is suitable for permission, whether the product damages the image or brand value of "Bugi," and whether there are any disqualifications such as unpaid taxes.

The usage period is three years, and those wishing to extend it can reapply before the period ends.

To promote the Bugi copyright release project, Busan is supporting sales in various ways, such as providing booths for participating companies at various events, including sales promotion events.

At the "Goods is Good V.2" event held in early March, major domestic and international distributors proposed to carry Bugi fan merchandise, showing tangible results.

Park Gwangmyung, spokesperson for the city of Busan, said, "Due to Bugi's popularity, we are receiving continuous inquiries about copyright applications," and added, "We hope many local SMEs and small business owners will participate in this project, which aims for mutual growth with Bugi."