Big Corp Accused of Tattoo Tech Theft in Seoul Showdown!
Prinker Slams LG H&H Over Design Snatch
Korean start-up Prinker has fired a furious shot across LG Household & Health Care’s bow. Prinker claims LG H&H filed a design patent for a “tattoo printer” back in September 2020 — despite signing a non-disclosure agreement with Prinker the year before, in June 2019.
Prinker says LG H&H’s portable tattoo printer, called IMPRINTU, looks and works remarkably like the Prinker M. The start-up notes LG H&H had bought their products, raising suspicion of copied design and tech.
LG H&H Denies Ripping Off Ideas
LG H&H admits it purchased Prinker printers — but calls it a “routine market assessment” ahead of entering a new market. They insist they have had no contact with Prinker since the NDA was signed, denying all allegations of intellectual property theft.
In a statement, LG H&H also claims Prinker didn’t originate the tattoo printer concept, pointing out that Hewlett-Packard patented a similar device way back in 1999. LG H&H insists it carefully avoided existing patents and collaborated with giants like LG Electronics and HP since 2019.
Prinker Fights Back — Legal Battle Looms
Prinker sells its skin-printing gadget in 80 countries, including the US and Germany. The company also recently won investment from French cosmetics giant L’Oreal, though the sum remains under wraps.
Now, Prinker is taking the fight to the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups and plans to sue LG H&H for violating unfair competition laws. “LG’s new tattoo printer launching at Mobile World Congress is a blatant copycat move,” Prinker said.
South Korea’s Intellectual Property Wars Heat Up
This latest case would be just the tip of the iceberg in South Korea’s ongoing IP battles between scrappy start-ups and cash-rich conglomerates. Last month, Korean start-up Algocare accused retail titan Lotte of stealing its AI nutrient dispenser technology after partnership talks went south.
If Prinker’s claims stick, big businesses beware — the little guy is ready to fight back hard.
