Best Korean Stationery: Monami, Iconic & Suatelier

Korean stationery picks drawn in one lineup, each labelled: Monami 153, Plus Pen 3000, Live Color, Essenti Soft and Olika pens, an Iconic highlighter-strip pack, an Iconic Meow stamp and a Suatelier bunny sticker sheet — Eight Korean favourites, each labelled with the job it's picked for.

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Monami 153 (BP 153) retractable ballpoint pen, 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mmMonami	South Korea	South Korea^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Monami Plus Pen 3000 water-based felt tip pen, 0.4 mm (24-color set shown for identifiers)Monami	South Korea	Thailand^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Monami Live Color water-based twin markerMonami	South Korea	Not stated^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Monami Essenti Soft highlighter (12 pastel colors)Monami	South Korea	Not stated^*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Monami Olika fountain pen (F or EF steel nib, 10 colors)Monami	South Korea	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item
Iconic Index Long Highlighter (Garden or Ocean, 160 strips)Iconic	South Korea	South Korea^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item
Iconic Meow Diary StampIconic	South Korea	China^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item
Suatelier Stickers, Bonny (Bunny) No. 1001Suatelier	South Korea	Not stated^*	Price range: $under $5 per item

Notes on these facts

Monami 153 (BP 153) retractable ballpoint pen, 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm: Made by Monami Co., Ltd.. Made in South Korea: Monami's BP 153 sell sheet (linked from its English product page) shows KOREA printed on both the 0.7 and 1.0 mm barrels, and Korean Wikipedia says recently made pens carry Made in Korea on the barrel. Premium 153 versions may be made elsewhere. Source. Released: May 1963 per Korea JoongAng Daily; Monami's history page lists 1963, "Began production of 153 Ballpoint Pen".
Monami Plus Pen 3000 water-based felt tip pen, 0.4 mm (24-color set shown for identifiers): Made by Monami Co., Ltd.. Made in Thailand: Monami's own 24-color pack image (downloadable from its English product page) prints "Made in Thailand". The Korean art retailer Hwabang lists the 60-color set with 제조국명 (country of manufacture) Thailand and maker Monami Thailand. Monami's history page says it built and later expanded the Amata factory in Thailand. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Per a Monami marketing official quoted by Asia Economy on March 17, 2020; Monami's history page doesn't list the launch year.
Monami Live Color water-based twin marker: Made by Monami Co., Ltd.. Country of manufacture not stated: Monami's Korean Live Color pages (read October 22, 2026) and the JetPens spec sheet don't state a country of manufacture. Check the package.
Monami Essenti Soft highlighter (12 pastel colors): Made by Monami Co., Ltd.. Country of manufacture not stated: Monami's Korean and English Essenti pages and the JetPens spec sheet (both read in full on October 22, 2026) don't state a country of manufacture. Check the barrel or package.
Monami Olika fountain pen (F or EF steel nib, 10 colors): Made by Monami Co., Ltd.. Country of manufacture not stated: Monami's English and Korean pages and its sell sheet don't state the country of manufacture. An August 2017 Fountain Pen Network post quoting a JetPens newsletter called it made in South Korea, but a forum post can't be the only source, so we leave it unstated; check the blister pack.
Iconic Index Long Highlighter (Garden or Ocean, 160 strips): Made by Iconic Design Co., Ltd. ((주)아이코닉디자인, Seoul). Made in South Korea: Iconic's legally required product notice on 10x10 (read October 22, 2026) lists 제조국 또는 원산지: 한국 (country of manufacture: Korea) and the maker as (주)아이코닉디자인. Source. Price: example listing.
Iconic Meow Diary Stamp: Made by Iconic Design Co., Ltd. ((주)아이코닉디자인, Seoul). Made in China: Iconic's legally required product notice on 10x10 (read October 22, 2026) lists 제조국 또는 원산지: 중국 OEM, meaning made in China for Iconic under contract. Source. Price: example listing.
Suatelier Stickers, Bonny (Bunny) No. 1001: Made by Suatelier Design (Seoul). Country of manufacture not stated: JetPens says the stickers are made from Korean paper but doesn't state where they're printed, and Suatelier's own Korean shop didn't load for us on October 22, 2026. Check the package. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

Monami launched the 153 in May 1963 as Korea's first domestically made ballpoint; Korea JoongAng Daily reports over 3.4 billion sold.
The Monami Plus Pen 3000 has a 0.4 mm point and comes in sets of 24 to 60 colors; its export packs say made in Thailand.
Monami makes Live Color in 39 colors and the Essenti Soft highlighter in 12 pastels, with a 1.0–4.0 mm chisel tip.
Iconic's Index Long Highlighter is 160 film strips of 135 × 5 mm at ₩4,600 (about US$3.50) a pack in Korea.
Iconic's Meow Diary Stamp had 3,055 reviews on Korean retailer 10x10 on October 22, 2026; Suatelier's Bonny sheet had 51 at JetPens.

What is the best Korean stationery?

Start with Monami’s pens, then add Iconic and Suatelier for planners and journals. Monami, founded in Seoul, makes Korea’s best-known pen; Iconic and Suatelier are newer Seoul brands loved by planner fans in the US. Monami comes first because its 153 is Korea’s best-known pen: Monami’s Korean site calls it the country’s most-sold ballpoint, on sale since 1963.

Everyday ballpoint: Monami 153. Why it’s here: Korea’s first domestically made ballpoint, on sale since May 1963 and, per Monami, its most-sold; a clipless hexagonal pen in 0.5, 0.7 or 1.0 mm.
Fine felt tip: Monami Plus Pen 3000. Why it’s here: a 0.4 mm water-based felt tip, the same point as the Paper Mate Flair Ultra Fine, in sets of up to 60 colors, the most here.
Dual-tip color: Monami Live Color. Why it’s here: two tips for headers and writing, a 2 mm chisel and a 0.4 mm fine tip in JetPens’ sets, in 39 colors.
Pastel highlighter: Monami Essenti Soft. Why it’s here: the Korean pastel highlighter, twelve muted colors with a 1.0–4.0 mm chisel tip.
First fountain pen: Monami Olika. Why it’s here: the only fountain pen here, a cartridge pen with an F or EF steel nib, in 10 ink colors.
Highlighting without ink: Iconic Index Long Highlighter. Why it’s here: it highlights without ink: 160 translucent film strips you lay over a line of text and peel off later.
Planner stamp: Iconic Meow Diary Stamp. Why it’s here: a pre-inked 27 × 27 × 57 mm stamp that prints a cat with a word such as CHECK without an ink pad, in ten designs.
Stickers: Suatelier Stickers. Why it’s here: numbered paper sheets from a Seoul brand loved by US planner fans; Bonny (Bunny) No. 1001 has 55 kiss-cut stickers.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: makers’ Korean pages and specs, JetPens and Korean retailer data, US availability and price band. We started with Monami, the best-documented Korean maker, then added two Seoul planner brands that US shops stock.

How do the picks compare?

Five are Monami writing tools; three are planner extras from smaller Seoul brands.

Pick	Job	Key spec	Made in	Band
Monami 153	Everyday ballpoint	0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm; 146.3 mm (5.8 in)	South Korea	$
Monami Plus Pen 3000	Fine felt tip	0.4 mm; 24–60 color sets	Thailand	$
Monami Live Color	Dual-tip color	39 colors; 152 mm (6.0 in) capped	Not stated	$
Monami Essenti Soft	Pastel highlighter	1.0–4.0 mm chisel; 12 colors	Not stated	$
Monami Olika	First fountain pen	F or EF steel nib; 10 colors	Not stated	$$
Iconic Index Long Highlighter	Highlighter strips	160 strips, 135 × 5 mm (5.3 × 0.2 in)	South Korea	$$
Iconic Meow Diary Stamp	Planner stamp	27 × 27 × 57 mm (1.1 × 1.1 × 2.2 in)	China	$$
Suatelier Bonny No. 1001	Stickers	55 stickers on a 15.0 × 9.2 cm (5.9 × 3.6 in) sheet	Not stated	$

Specs are from Monami, Iconic, Korean Wikipedia and JetPens; origins from maker packs and retailer notices. See each guide for the sources.

Korean picks' tip and strip widths to scale: Monami 153 balls 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm, Plus Pen 3000 and Live Color fine tips 0.4 mm, Live Color chisel 2 mm, Essenti Soft 1.0 to 4.0 mm and an Iconic strip 5 mm wide — From a 0.4 mm felt tip to a 5 mm film strip, drawn to scale.

Why is the Monami 153 so famous?

It was Korea’s first domestically made ballpoint and has stayed on sale since May 1963. It launched at ₩15 (about US$0.01 at today’s rate), and Korea JoongAng Daily reports sales of over 3.4 billion.

The design hasn’t changed much: no clip, a hexagonal barrel, and a button and cone in the ink color. Its 1.0 mm version has a yellow barrel. It also sits in our ballpoint roundup, among the best everyday ballpoints.

Which Monami pen should you pick for journaling?

The Plus Pen 3000 for writing and color-coding, Live Color for headers and Essenti Soft for highlighting. The Plus Pen’s 0.4 mm point matches the Paper Mate Flair Ultra Fine, and its 60-color set adds 6 pigment grays.

Live Color’s twin tips cover both lettering and fill-in; Monami’s 60-color tin set lists 0.5 mm and 1.2 mm points. The Essenti Soft’s muted pastels, from yellow to gray and olive, suit people who find neon highlighters harsh.

What are Iconic and Suatelier best for?

Planners and journals. Iconic’s Index Long Highlighter strips are PP and PET film you lay over text and peel off later, and the Meow stamp prints a cat with CHECK, BYE or 참 잘했어요 (Well done) without an ink pad.

Suatelier numbers its designs; 1001 is Bonny, and its Planner Stickers run in the 1600s. For more decorating ideas, see our journaling stickers and washi tape picks.

Where is Korean stationery made?

Some of it in Korea, some abroad. Monami’s 153 is printed KOREA on the barrel, and Iconic’s notice on 10x10 says the Index Long Highlighter is made in Korea.

Monami’s Plus Pen 3000 export packs say made in Thailand, and Iconic has the Meow stamp made in China. Monami doesn’t state an origin for the Live Color, Essenti Soft or Olika, and Suatelier’s JetPens listings don’t either.

What other Korean brands are worth knowing?

Colorverse, for fountain pen ink. Its 2026 ink advent calendar, the Colorverse Colorvent Calendar 2026, holds 24 new inks and is made in South Korea.

Opus 88, often sold alongside these brands, is Taiwanese, not Korean.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most famous Korean pen?

The Monami 153, a white hexagonal ballpoint launched in May 1963. Korea JoongAng Daily reports more than 3.4 billion sold, and Monami's Korean site calls it the most-sold ballpoint in Korea.

Where can you buy Korean stationery in the US?

JetPens carries Monami, Iconic and Suatelier (80 Suatelier sticker products on October 22, 2026), and Amazon US sells Monami Plus Pen 3000 and Live Color sets.

Is Korean stationery cheap?

Mostly, yes. Every pick here except the Olika fountain pen, the Iconic strips and the Iconic stamp sits in our $ band, under $5 per item; those three are in our $$ band, $5–20.

Is all Korean stationery made in Korea?

No. The Monami 153 and the Iconic Index Long Highlighter are made in Korea, but Monami's Plus Pen 3000 export packs say made in Thailand and Iconic has its Meow stamp made in China.

What are the best Korean stickers for planners?

Suatelier's numbered paper sticker sheets. Its Bonny (Bunny) No. 1001 sheet holds 55 kiss-cut stickers and was its most-reviewed sticker at JetPens on October 22, 2026.

Is the Monami Plus Pen 3000 good for journaling?

Yes, for writing and color-coding: its 0.4 mm water-based felt tip writes a fine line and comes in up to 60 colors. Water-based ink can run if it gets wet.

Is Opus 88 a Korean brand?

No. Opus 88 is a Taiwanese fountain pen brand, so we cover it separately; Colorverse, the ink brand, is Korean.

Sources (12)

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