A new Los Angeles company called Hello Soju is being accused of ripping off Hummy, a Korean American soju brand based in New York. 

A new Los Angeles company called Hello Soju is being accused of ripping off Hummy, a Korean American soju brand based in New York. Hello Soju just debuted their product this past weekend during the Coachella music festival and claims to be “the world’s premier soju seltzer.” But Korean American best friends David Lee and Chris Park, founders of the soju brand Hummy, are pointing out how Hello Soju’s drinks have eerily similar design elements. In an Instagram post Hummy (whose logo was inspired by a hummingbird) placed the two brands’ drinks side by side and asked followers, “Feeling déjà vu?” and wrote “When we saw this new brand, we couldn’t help but wonder whether it looked too familiar…” It’s also clear Hello Soju has pretty similar color schemes and tag lines in their marketing and products. While the Hummy creators are “thrilled” the Korean drink is gaining popularity, they’re also making it known that “cultural appropriation is a serious issue that should not be taken lightly.” Fans of Hummy were quick to support the brand with commenters writing under their post, “Hello soju? More like bye soju.” YPulse data shows that 64% of young people agree that cultural appropriation is a problem in the U.S., and recognizing the cultural roots of trends is vital for brands. (NextShark)