Home appliance manufacturing corporations Cuckoo is embroiled in conflict over similarity to startup AtHome's food waste disposer design, following its dispute with Coway over an ice water purifier. AtHome argued that Cuckoo copied its design, and Cuckoo sought a trial to invalidate AtHome's design, escalating the conflict.
On the 23rd, according to a compilation of reporting by ChosunBiz, home appliance corporations AtHome is pursuing legal action, saying Cuckoo's food waste disposer design is similar to its own. AtHome's manufacturing-focused subsidiary AtHome Plan Tech registered a design for a food waste disposer in 2023. After Cuckoo registered a food waste disposer design in January last year, AtHome judged it similar to its own and petitioned the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board to invalidate the design. The case has reportedly moved from the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board to the Intellectual Property High Court.
AtHome was founded in Apr. 2018. It drew strong interest, especially among single-person households, by launching a mini dryer, dishwasher, and food waste disposer under the small appliance brand "MINICS." The food waste disposer is a flagship product that drove results, accounting for 52 billion won out of 115 billion won in 2024 revenue.
Cuckoo launched its sixth-generation food waste disposer at the end of Apr. last year. AtHome filed a petition with the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board in Feb. last year to invalidate the design, but Cuckoo released the product as scheduled. It touted its small size and simple design as strengths. The disposer surpassed 9.3 billion won in cumulative sales as a single product within three months of launch and accounted for 69% of Cuckoo's total food waste disposer sales during the same period.
In the patent trial, AtHome argued, "(Cuckoo's design) is similar to the design we registered or is a design that can be easily created from it, so the registration should be invalidated." The Design Protection Act stipulates that if a design is the same as or similar to one already disclosed at home or abroad, or is easily created with only minor changes, it cannot be registered.
Cuckoo countered, "It falls under a design with a different overall impression and aesthetic," and added, "Elements commonly used in food waste disposers, such as the main body exterior, round button, or rear filter cover, are industry-standard configurations and should not be used as the primary basis for judging that it can be 'easily made.'"
The Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board ruled in favor of Cuckoo in Oct. last year. It found that although some components share commonalities, they are not significant when judging design similarity or to the extent of greatly affecting the overall aesthetic impression.
The Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board determined that "(Cuckoo's design) appears to present an overall sophisticated and minimal aesthetic and cannot be conclusively deemed to be of a low level of creativity."
The two sides are reportedly battling over the matter at the Intellectual Property High Court. After reviewing the validity of the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board's decision, the Intellectual Property High Court can overturn the existing decision. AtHome's position is that corporations can ensure sustainability only by protecting design and technology assets. Cuckoo, separate from the lawsuit, is pushing back by filing a petition seeking to invalidate AtHome's registered design.
Cuckoo also sparred with Coway over water purifier design. A controversy erupted that the ice water purifier CUCKOO Homesys launched in 2024 resembles the Icon ice water purifier Coway unveiled in 2022. Coway sent a content-certified letter to CUCKOO Homesys in Aug. 2024 but failed to reach a settlement, and in Apr. the following year filed a lawsuit seeking a sales ban and damages.