Pudgy Penguins Signals Korean Retail Push After LINE FRIENDS Tease

pudgypenguins escalated its LINE FRIENDS tease on Sept 23, 2026, quote-tweeting its own earlier post at @_LINEFRIENDS with the message "Time to takeover Korean retail stores 👀" — the clearest signal yet that the NFT brand is preparing a physical merchandise push into South Korea.

The quoted post, published a day earlier, only asked what was "coming" with @_LINEFRIENDS. The follow-up adds intent and product direction: the attached image shows what appear to be branded plush keyring blind bags and mini figure sets, the same collectible formats Pudgy Penguins already sells through mainstream US retail channels.

Pudgy Penguins launched as an 8,888-piece Ethereum NFT collection and was acquired by Luca Netz in April 2022, then repositioned as a consumer brand under Igloo Inc. Its toy line has sold more than 1.5 million units across Walmart and Target, with the project also launching the PENGU token on Solana for governance and ecosystem utility.

The retail signal lands alongside a broader Korean push. Pudgy Penguins is bringing its Huddle event series to Seoul for Korea Blockchain Week, running Sept 28 to Oct 2, with an open RSVP.

What to watch

Neither party has published terms, dates, or store lists for a Korean retail rollout, and pudgypenguins has not confirmed whether @_LINEFRIENDS is a manufacturing, licensing, or distribution partner. An official joint announcement, plus details on which Korean retailers will carry the merchandise, is the next milestone to track.