Kakao Friends: the KakaoTalk characters, their names and their story
Ryan, Apeach, Muzi, Choonsik and the whole gang: who’s who, where they come from, and how to choose your first Kakao Friends.
- Kakao Friends (카카오프렌즈) is a family of characters created by Kakao, the company behind the messaging app KakaoTalk.
- They were born in November 2012, as emoticons to send in chats.
- The original gang: Muzi, Con, Apeach, Jay-G, Frodo, Neo and Tube.
- Ryan, the maneless lion, arrived in 2016, and his cat Choonsik (also spelled Chunsik) in 2020.
- You can find them as plushies, keychains, desk items, home decor and car accessories.
Contents
A serious-looking maneless lion, a peach with pink cheeks, a little cat who loves sweet potatoes: if you’ve ever opened the KakaoTalk messaging app or walked the streets of Seoul, you may have already come across the kakao friends. These characters were born inside a phone, as emoticons, before ending up on plushies, mugs and keychains.
In this guide, we introduce the Kakao Friends characters one by one, with their little backstory, then we help you find your way around the collections and choose your first Kakao Friends.
The Kakao Friends characters and their names
The original gang has seven characters, created in 2012. Two more joined them later: Ryan and Choonsik. Here’s who’s who, so you never mix them up again.
RyanArrived in 2016
- A maneless lion, with a serious look and big eyebrows
- Joined the gang in January 2016
ChoonsikArrived in 2020
- The cat Ryan adopted, also spelled Chunsik
- His passion: sweet potatoes
ApeachThe original gang
- A peach with pink cheeks
- She’s part of the original gang from 2012
MuziThe original gang
- A pickled radish (danmuji) dressed up as a rabbit
- A big prankster, always curious
ConThe original gang
- A little green character who looks like a crocodile
- Often shown alongside Muzi
FrodoThe original gang
- A dog who’s self-conscious about not being a purebred
- He’s in a relationship with Neo
NeoThe original gang
- A cat, Frodo’s girlfriend
- Recognizable by her black bob haircut
TubeThe original gang
- A very fearful duck
- When he gets too scared or angry, he completely transforms
Jay-GThe original gang
- A mole from an underground land
- His name is a nod to American rapper Jay-Z
You’ll also often see Jordy, the little green character, on our products. He comes from another Kakao character series, Niniz, but he regularly appears with the Kakao Friends gang, especially in the 2026 collaborations.
Not sure who to start with? Our most-ordered Kakao Friends product over the last three months is this little Apeach keychain figure from the Peach Peach collection.
Our customers’ favoriteKAKAO FRIENDS - Peach Peach Figurine Porte-cles Little Apeach27,90 €VIEWThe story of Kakao Friends: from emoticons to stores
It all started in 2012 at Kakao, the Korean company behind KakaoTalk. The idea: create characters for the emoticons users send each other. The gang came out in November 2012. The drawings are by illustrator Hozo.
The characters then left the phone. In April 2014, a first pop-up store opened in Sinchon, Seoul, then others in department stores in cities like Daegu and Busan; some became permanent stores. In January 2016, Ryan joined the gang, and in September 2020, it was the turn of Choonsik, the cat he adopted.
Today, Kakao Friends is still run by the Kakao group, which keeps adding collections and collaborations with other universes.
Muzi isn’t a rabbit: he’s a danmuji, the yellow pickled radish eaten with kimbap, dressed up as a rabbit. And Choonsik loves sweet potatoes so much that they keep showing up on his products.
The Kakao Friends collections to know
On our products, the collection name is often written in the title. Here are the main ones, to help you find your way.
| Collection | What it is |
|---|---|
| Little / Baby | Small, round versions of the characters |
| OOTD | Dressed-up characters, as plushies |
| FRIENDAY | Towels, pouches and Choonsik slippers |
| FRIENDZOO | Characters dressed up as animals |
| Peach Peach | Collection built around Apeach |
| SpongeBob x Friends | Collaboration with SpongeBob (2026) |
Which Kakao Friends to choose?
Choose the type of item you fancy: we give you our favorite, and two ideas to go with it.
A plushie to cuddle
For a first Kakao Friends, a plushie is still the classic choice. Pick your favorite character: Choonsik and Ryan are perfect to start with.
A keychain for your bag
The easiest way to take your character everywhere, hooked onto a bag, a pencil case or your keys.
For home and the office
Useful items to bring a little Kakao Friends into your daily life, from the desk to the kitchen.
For the car and the road
Handy little accessories that make you smile on every trip.
Kakao Friends in 2026: what’s happening right now
This year, Kakao Friends has had one collaboration after another. In April 2026, Kakao launched a second collection with SpongeBob (SpongeBob SquarePants), with a baby theme: Ryan, Choonsik, Apeach, Tube, Muzi and Jordy wear the costumes of the Bikini Bottom characters. Part of this collection is available at our shop.
On September 18, 2026, Kakao Friends also released a collection with Shin-chan (Crayon Shin-chan), with a sweet potato field theme, featuring Choonsik and Ryan as farmers. As of mid-October 2026, these are the most recent collaborations announced by Kakao.
Official Kakao Friends merch from Ma Petite Corée
All our Kakao Friends products are official products, bought in Korea and shipped from our office in Seoul. We’ve picked items for every character, from small keychains to plushies.
If you’re buying a gift for someone who loves Korea, a Choonsik or a Ryan always makes people happy. And keep an eye on seasonal collections: they change often, so don’t wait too long if you like a design.
Frequently asked questions about kakao friends
What is Kakao Friends?
Kakao Friends is a family of characters created in November 2012 by Kakao for the emoticons of the Korean messaging app KakaoTalk.
What are the names of the Kakao Friends characters?
The original gang: Muzi, Con, Apeach, Jay-G, Frodo, Neo and Tube. Ryan arrived in 2016 and Choonsik in 2020.
Who is Ryan?
Ryan is a serious-looking maneless lion who joined the gang in January 2016.
Who is Choonsik (Chunsik)?
Choonsik is the cat adopted by Ryan, who arrived in 2020. He loves sweet potatoes. You’ll see his name spelled Choonsik or Chunsik.
Who is Apeach?
Apeach is a peach with pink cheeks who is part of the original 2012 gang.
Is Muzi a rabbit?
No: Muzi is a pickled radish (danmuji) dressed up as a rabbit.
Are the Kakao Friends products from Ma Petite Corée official?
Yes, everything we sell is official and ships directly from our office in Seoul.
Also worth reading
Jihyun, team Ma Petite Corée
Photos: official Kakao Friends product visuals © Kakao, photos from the Ma Petite Corée shop.