Line Friends — From Chat Sticker to Character Brand
Line Friends proved that emojis can become superstars: the characters around Brown the bear, Cony the bunny, and Sally the duck started as stickers for the messenger app LINE and grew into a character brand that today runs cafés, stores, and collaborations across multiple continents. For K-pop fans, one project is unavoidable: BT21, the character family developed together with the band BTS, where each band member helped design their own figure. At Elbenwald you'll find officially licensed Line Friends products with a focus on BT21 — everyday companions for the kitchen, the desk, and life on the go, where the characters take center stage, from your first cup to a whole breakfast crew.
What's the story behind BT21?
Rarely has there been this much creative input: instead of simply licensing faces, the seven BTS members designed their own characters — from the first sketch to the backstory. The result is eight figures, each with its own personality: the heart creature Tata from planet BT, Chimmy the dog in a yellow hoodie, Cooky the rabbit with muscle ambitions, Koya the koala, RJ the alpaca, Shooky the cookie, Mang the horse with a dance mask, and Van, the space protector. Every figure carries its creator's signature — one reason the fandom collects their favorites just as passionately as they collect the music itself. The fact that the line is regularly expanded with new designs and collaborations keeps the collection alive — and the community talking. If you know your bias, chances are you already know your figure too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Line Friends products does Elbenwald carry?
Officially licensed merchandise focused on BT21 — such as mugs, water bottles, to-go cups, and dishware featuring the characters. The current selection is shown in the category, with details on the product page.
What's the difference between Line Friends and BT21?
Line Friends is the character brand that grew out of the LINE messenger's stickers. BT21 is one of its character families — developed together with the band BTS, whose members helped design the figures themselves.
How can I tell if Line Friends products are officially licensed?
By the license notice on the product or packaging. Elbenwald carries exclusively officially licensed merchandise — details on the respective manufacturer are listed on the product page.
Range Overview
For the breakfast table, mugs featuring Koya, RJ, or Shooky are ready to go, on the move to-go cups and water bottles keep the crew within reach, and among plates & bowls there's even a ramen bowl complete with chopsticks. Everything else from the character cosmos is gathered in the BT21 overview, and the full picture is shown by Home & Kitchen.
What else goes well with this?
The music behind the characters is found at BTS, and animated K-pop action is delivered by KPop Demon Hunters. If you want to compare character design from Japan, visit Sanrio and Hello Kitty — the competition for cutest shelf is officially open.
