Type Branding
A Reunion After Ten Years
After Supercell launched the mobile game Brawl Stars in 2019, it gradually gained popularity in Korea and generated enthusiastic responses from users, leading to a growing need to strengthen the brand image for the Korean market. While the English version used a Latin font that effectively conveyed the brand identity of Brawl Stars, the Korean version relied on a font with a different tone, leaving room for improvement in terms of design consistency. Building on this popularity, Supercell decided to develop a new Hangul font to further solidify the Brawl Stars brand identity in Korea, and approached Sandoll for this project.
In-game screens from Brawl Stars
The connection between Supercell and Sandoll dates back about ten years, beginning with the development of the Hangul font for the popular game Clash of Clans (Link). I was involved in the design work at the time, and as part of the job, I started playing the game. As the work progressed, I gradually became drawn to Supercell’s games and their world, and before I knew it, I had become an enthusiastic user and fan. (From then until now, I still play the game every day.)
After the initial font development, there were several rounds of updates and communication, but it was truly a pleasure to once again collaborate on a game font for Supercell this time. The joy was even greater when it was confirmed that the font would be developed together with Sandoll. Working with a game I love and a company I admire, I naturally took part in the design process with genuine enjoyment.
In-game screens from Clash of Clans
Latin → Hangul Matching Design
At Sandoll, we develop fonts for a wide range of languages, including Hangul, the Latin alphabet, Cyrillic, and Chinese characters. When developing fonts for two or more languages, we typically begin by designing the script that is most critical to the client. For domestic clients, Hangul is often designed first. In contrast, when working with overseas clients, the Latin alphabet is usually designed first to prioritize local usage, and Hangul is then matched to that Latin design.
Because Sandoll has extensive experience developing fonts for international clients, we are well accustomed to this approach. The Brawl Stars project followed the same process. As mentioned earlier, the English version already used a Latin font that effectively conveyed the Brawl Stars brand identity, and we were asked to design a Hangul counterpart that would align with it. In such cases, the design process generally proceeds in the following order:
Analysis of the Latin design
Hangul design and testing based on the analyzed characteristics
Interpretation (adaptation) and refinement
First, we analyze the structure and character of the Latin design. This includes identifying whether it falls into a humanist or geometric category, examining letter width, the degree of openness in counters, and the underlying skeleton, as well as reviewing detailed stylistic expressions and structural continuity.
Next, we apply the analyzed characteristics to Hangul and proceed through testing and iterative refinement. At times, certain Latin features may be applied more directly, but rather than forcing a literal transfer, we aim for a natural integration. I often refer to this process as “interpretation.” Much like adaptation in translation—where meaning and tone are shaped to fit context rather than rendered word for word—this approach seeks a natural and coherent result rather than a rigid, literal conversion.
So, how was the matching done?
In this project, we developed two styles: 「Brawl Display」 and 「Brawl Gothic」. In this article, we will focus on the design process of 「Brawl Display」.
Structural Analysis
One notable feature was the relatively high x-height of the Latin lowercase letters. This means that the height difference between uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as the gap between ascenders and the x-height, is not very large. Based on this structure, we determined that Hangul’s square-based structure, which also has relatively small height variation, would be a good match.
Latin Analysis and Identification of Key Characteristics
Feature Analysis and Interpretation
We were able to identify the character traits of the Latin alphabet shown in the image above, and tested how these could be expressed naturally when designing Hangul. One of the considerations during this process was that, in the Latin, protruding details were applied broadly to the stems. However, if the same approach were applied directly to Hangul—specifically to single vertical stems such as ㅏ or ㅣ—it could appear overly repetitive or unnecessarily complex (A). This was considered especially problematic given the heavy weight.
As a result, we established a rule in which the protruding element was applied only to consonants, and only to the initial consonant, in order to control its frequency (B).
If translated literally, the design could have been expressed as in A. 「Brawl Display」, however, was designed as shown in B.
Initial Hangul designs applying Latin characteristics
Type in Use
As font development began, work proceeded in parallel to apply the type to Supercell’s major upcoming online and offline campaigns. When projects must align with a client’s key schedule, it is common practice to produce and use only the required characters first, even before the entire font is completed. Seeing type that is still in development being used in real time often brings to mind the literal meaning of the word type—“living letters,” as if life has been breathed into them.
In this project as well, the client requested specific characters as needed in real time. Fortunately, we were able to respond without difficulty, and the produced characters were applied to designs for the event. Supercell also shared the resulting design images with us, and in some cases even sent us the physical materials used at the event.
Brawl Stars × Kellogg’s Collaboration Campaign
After approximately eight months from the start of development, the Hangul font—designed to further strengthen Brawl Stars branding in Korea and clearly express its identity—was completed. It was a process of repeated endurance: refining balance while drawing characters, creating new characters, and then re-adjusting balance again depending on their combinations.
What do you think when you look at the images below showing the game logo with 「Brawl Display」 and 「Brawl Gothic」 applied, along with the before-and-after comparison? Do the Hangul design, brand image, and game characters feel consistent to you?
New font applied to Brawl Stars Day held on Children’s Day!
Before: existing YouTube thumbnail → After: 「Brawl Display」 applied
Ultimately, the two fonts developed by Sandoll were released publicly and have since been applied within the Brawl Stars game. Many user responses note that readability has improved significantly. They can be downloaded by visiting the [Brawl Stars] Hangul Font Promotion (Link), and can also be used together with the cute and well-designed templates created by Supercell. Once you try the Brawl Stars Hangul font… you may find yourself wanting to enjoy the game as well.
Type Branding
A Reunion After Ten Years
After Supercell launched the mobile game Brawl Stars in 2019, it gradually gained popularity in Korea and generated enthusiastic responses from users, leading to a growing need to strengthen the brand image for the Korean market. While the English version used a Latin font that effectively conveyed the brand identity of Brawl Stars, the Korean version relied on a font with a different tone, leaving room for improvement in terms of design consistency. Building on this popularity, Supercell decided to develop a new Hangul font to further solidify the Brawl Stars brand identity in Korea, and approached Sandoll for this project.
In-game screens from Brawl Stars
The connection between Supercell and Sandoll dates back about ten years, beginning with the development of the Hangul font for the popular game Clash of Clans (Link). I was involved in the design work at the time, and as part of the job, I started playing the game. As the work progressed, I gradually became drawn to Supercell’s games and their world, and before I knew it, I had become an enthusiastic user and fan. (From then until now, I still play the game every day.)
After the initial font development, there were several rounds of updates and communication, but it was truly a pleasure to once again collaborate on a game font for Supercell this time. The joy was even greater when it was confirmed that the font would be developed together with Sandoll. Working with a game I love and a company I admire, I naturally took part in the design process with genuine enjoyment.
In-game screens from Clash of Clans
Latin → Hangul Matching Design
At Sandoll, we develop fonts for a wide range of languages, including Hangul, the Latin alphabet, Cyrillic, and Chinese characters. When developing fonts for two or more languages, we typically begin by designing the script that is most critical to the client. For domestic clients, Hangul is often designed first. In contrast, when working with overseas clients, the Latin alphabet is usually designed first to prioritize local usage, and Hangul is then matched to that Latin design.
Because Sandoll has extensive experience developing fonts for international clients, we are well accustomed to this approach. The Brawl Stars project followed the same process. As mentioned earlier, the English version already used a Latin font that effectively conveyed the Brawl Stars brand identity, and we were asked to design a Hangul counterpart that would align with it. In such cases, the design process generally proceeds in the following order:
Analysis of the Latin design
Hangul design and testing based on the analyzed characteristics
Interpretation (adaptation) and refinement
First, we analyze the structure and character of the Latin design. This includes identifying whether it falls into a humanist or geometric category, examining letter width, the degree of openness in counters, and the underlying skeleton, as well as reviewing detailed stylistic expressions and structural continuity.
Next, we apply the analyzed characteristics to Hangul and proceed through testing and iterative refinement. At times, certain Latin features may be applied more directly, but rather than forcing a literal transfer, we aim for a natural integration. I often refer to this process as “interpretation.” Much like adaptation in translation—where meaning and tone are shaped to fit context rather than rendered word for word—this approach seeks a natural and coherent result rather than a rigid, literal conversion.
So, how was the matching done?
In this project, we developed two styles: 「Brawl Display」 and 「Brawl Gothic」. In this article, we will focus on the design process of 「Brawl Display」.
Structural Analysis
One notable feature was the relatively high x-height of the Latin lowercase letters. This means that the height difference between uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as the gap between ascenders and the x-height, is not very large. Based on this structure, we determined that Hangul’s square-based structure, which also has relatively small height variation, would be a good match.
Latin Analysis and Identification of Key Characteristics
Feature Analysis and Interpretation
We were able to identify the character traits of the Latin alphabet shown in the image above, and tested how these could be expressed naturally when designing Hangul. One of the considerations during this process was that, in the Latin, protruding details were applied broadly to the stems. However, if the same approach were applied directly to Hangul—specifically to single vertical stems such as ㅏ or ㅣ—it could appear overly repetitive or unnecessarily complex (A). This was considered especially problematic given the heavy weight.
As a result, we established a rule in which the protruding element was applied only to consonants, and only to the initial consonant, in order to control its frequency (B).
If translated literally, the design could have been expressed as in A. 「Brawl Display」, however, was designed as shown in B.
Initial Hangul designs applying Latin characteristics
Type in Use
As font development began, work proceeded in parallel to apply the type to Supercell’s major upcoming online and offline campaigns. When projects must align with a client’s key schedule, it is common practice to produce and use only the required characters first, even before the entire font is completed. Seeing type that is still in development being used in real time often brings to mind the literal meaning of the word type—“living letters,” as if life has been breathed into them.
In this project as well, the client requested specific characters as needed in real time. Fortunately, we were able to respond without difficulty, and the produced characters were applied to designs for the event. Supercell also shared the resulting design images with us, and in some cases even sent us the physical materials used at the event.
Brawl Stars × Kellogg’s Collaboration Campaign
After approximately eight months from the start of development, the Hangul font—designed to further strengthen Brawl Stars branding in Korea and clearly express its identity—was completed. It was a process of repeated endurance: refining balance while drawing characters, creating new characters, and then re-adjusting balance again depending on their combinations.
What do you think when you look at the images below showing the game logo with 「Brawl Display」 and 「Brawl Gothic」 applied, along with the before-and-after comparison? Do the Hangul design, brand image, and game characters feel consistent to you?
New font applied to Brawl Stars Day held on Children’s Day!
Before: existing YouTube thumbnail → After: 「Brawl Display」 applied
Ultimately, the two fonts developed by Sandoll were released publicly and have since been applied within the Brawl Stars game. Many user responses note that readability has improved significantly. They can be downloaded by visiting the [Brawl Stars] Hangul Font Promotion (Link), and can also be used together with the cute and well-designed templates created by Supercell. Once you try the Brawl Stars Hangul font… you may find yourself wanting to enjoy the game as well.