Minhwa Spirits is a Korean soju distillery and bar cultivating a community of authenticity in Doraville, GA. Rooted in a generational family recipe, Minhwa crafts traditional soju using time-tested technqiues while also offering inventive varieties for the modern palate. The brand’s ultimate goal—create a spirited place for people to gather and celebrate Korean heritage. 

The Minhwa name is derived from the folk paintings of Korea, often stated as ‘art of the common people.’ Prevailing motifs of tigers, dragons and beasts are used in unconventional form to illustrate the common people's freedom of expression which reveal their innermost thoughts and dreams. These characters are the stimulus behind the brand’s moniker, their soju nomenclature, and the illustrations that populate the identity.

Minhwa founders, James and Ming, asked us to develop a brand strategy and identity system that would position them as a spirited new offering in the American South while honoring a centuries-old Korean family legacy of tradition.

After completing a thorough brand strategy centered around their purpose of Cultivating a Community of Authenticity, The Studio crafted the visual identity to reflect the brand’s engaging connection with their young community while remaining respectful of a storied past. The system focuses on the illustrated cast of Minhwa characters that adorn labels, print material and their primary brandmark. In support, we also designed a flexible bank of secondary marks, a color palette sowed in Korean heritage, and typography forged from geometric and technical styles that balance a refined vintage feel with a modern industrial vibe.

Wrap-around label test with red foil for the 750 mL Yong bottle.