K-Pop and character fans have a new reason to visit Universal CityWalk Hollywood! This spring, a new LINE FRIENDS SQUARE location opened right across from the Universal Studio Store, close to the entrance of Universal Studios Hollywood. You’ll notice the large-scale LED screen above the store entrance right away, showcasing the fun characters and products inside.
I have been a fan of LINE FRIENDS for years. I first learned about them through their K-Pop collaborations and was immediately curious about the team behind the unique character designs. Now, as a long-time fan of the LINE FRIENDS brand, I’m here to share why everyone should stop by the new Universal CityWalk Hollywood location and check it out!
What is LINE FRIENDS?
The LINE FRIENDS brand began with its adorable, animated characters, intended for fans of all ages. Originally, a set of cute and expressive characters, including a BROWN, CONY, SALLY, and LEONARD, were created as emoticon stickers in the internationally popular LINE mobile messaging app. As their popularity grew, so did the BROWN & FRIENDS crew. With more characters also came a series of animated videos (and a streaming series) where the gang found themselves in funny and relatable situations. Their clear and emotive design made the characters recognizable and popular with fans around the world.
The talented creatives behind the BROWN & FRIENDS characters then expanded their network. They created new characters and stories in partnership with other brands and K-Pop groups, starting with their 2017 partnership with K-Pop sensations BTS. The successful BT21 character line developed in this collaboration led to additional K-Pop partnership with groups like NewJeans, ATEEZ, ZEROBASEONE,and more. Animated contents and an extensive product line from these LINE FRIENDS character groups continue to engage and inspire new fans around the world. Like many fans, I enjoy following the stories and snagging the new merch — especially when it features BROWN or RJ of BT21!
For a full run-down on everything to do at Universal CityWalk Hollywood, check out Discover Universal’s complete guide.
LINE FRIENDS SQUARE at Universal CityWalk Hollywood
I’ve always found that LINE FRIENDS products are as thoughtful as they are cute. I love that I can find useful items for home, work, and travel that feature my favorite characters! From drinkware to handheld fans, luggage tags, tote bags, clocks, desk chargers, lunch boxes, pillows and more, I have my favorite characters with me pretty much any time day or night.
LINE FRIENDS SQUARE retail locations are also very rare — there are only two others in the United States — so it’s particularly exciting to have one so conveniently located at Universal Studios Hollywood. BROWN & FRIENDS fans, along with fans of the K-Pop collaboration characters, will find lots of fun and functional merchandise. It’s not uncommon for the most popular collaboration character items to sell out, so I plan to stop in every time I visit CityWalk just to see what’s new.
If you’re new to LINE FRIENDS, though, it will only take a few minutes of exploring the store to discover your own favorite characters. Maybe an adorable NewJeans bunini character will catch your eye, or maybe LEONARD from BROWN & FRIENDS is just your type! If it’s your first visit, I recommend exploring all the characters and reading the descriptions of their collections posted around the store. The LINE FRIENDS lore goes deep, so you’re bound to learn something new every time.
Universal-Inspired Finds
As a fan of both Universal and LINE FRIENDS, I’m particularly excited about the exclusive COLLER X UNIVERSAL collaboration available only at the Universal CityWalk Hollywood store. The dynamic COLLER line of products allows you to customize your gear (bags, lanyards, keyring straps, and more) on the fly by adding character-themed decor like keyrings, charms, or sticons (kind of like three-dimensional stickers). From modern franchises like “Casper” and “Despicable Me” to throwback characters, the COLLER X UNIVERSAL products let you change out your style to match your outfit or your mood.
The LINE FRIENDS CityWalk location also carries exclusive BT21 Universal merchandise, like plushes, apparel, and accessories. BTS X “Despicable Me 4” merchandise, inspired by the band’s contribution to the film’s soundtrack, is also available. I’m planning to pick up the standing photo card holder and the cute character trucker hat the next time I visit!
Visiting Year-Round
In addition to how adorable and useful everything in the LINE FRIENDS SQUARE store is, LINE FRIENDS also offers fantastic seasonal designs. Winter holidays, Halloween, cherry blossom season, and summer all bring new and timely items to see in store. My BT21 Halloween wallet, which features the characters in spooky Halloween costumes, is one of my favorite finds. I can’t wait to see what’s in store when I’m on my way to next year’s Halloween Horror Nights!
I recommend also keeping an eye out for special special edition artist collaborations with LINE FRIENDS characters. These rare partnerships always result in innovative artistic takes on the characters we know and love.
There are so many reasons why I’m looking forward to stopping by the LINE FRIENDS SQUARE location at CityWalk. From new releases to new outfit coordination, artist collaborations and holidays to unique and memorable gifts, LINE FRIENDS SQUARE is sure to provide us with so many shopping possibilities on our future visits.
Do you have a favorite LINE FRIENDS character? What cute new accessories are you thinking of picking up on your next visit?