Monami Olika: Korea's Budget Cartridge Fountain Pen
The Monami Olika is an inexpensive cartridge fountain pen from Korea's Monami. It has a steel nib in Fine or Extra Fine, a fiber wick feed, a dimpled rubber grip and 10 ink colors matched to the pen. Monami says it takes international standard cartridges and packs two spares; reviewers count three cartridges in all.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Monami Olika fountain pen (F or EF steel nib, 10 colors)
- Brand
- Monami
- Brand origin
- South Korea
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Material
- Clear or tinted plastic body, rubber grip, steel nib
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Notes on these facts
- Made by Monami Co., Ltd.. Country of manufacture not stated: Monami's English and Korean pages and its sell sheet don't state the country of manufacture. An August 2017 Fountain Pen Network post quoting a JetPens newsletter called it made in South Korea, but a forum post can't be the only source, so we leave it unstated; check the blister pack. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Monami makes the Olika in 10 ink colors and two nibs, F and EF, with 20 item codes (2040047001 to 2040047020).
- Monami's sell sheet says it's refillable with international standard cartridges and comes with 2 extra cartridges.
- Monami's Korean site sells Olika refill cartridges in packs of 5, in all 10 colors.
- A 2019 Pen Addict review found the EF only on clear pens and the F on fully colored barrels.
- US reviews in 2018 and 2019 put it just above $5 at JetPens, our $$ band.
What is the Monami Olika?
The Monami Olika is a low-cost plastic fountain pen from Monami, the Korean maker of the Monami 153 ballpoint, sold with ink cartridges in the pen’s own color. Monami pitches it for handwriting, calligraphy, copying out text and decorating.
Its Korean name is 올리카. In the US it drew reviews from The Pen Addict and Fountain Pen Network users after JetPens began stocking it in August 2017. JetPens’ old Olika category link now opens its general Monami fountain pen page, so look for it at Korean stationery importers too.
Monami Olika specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Monami Co., Ltd. (South Korea) |
| Type | Cartridge fountain pen, snap cap |
| Nib | Steel, Fine (F) or Extra Fine (EF) |
| Feed | Fiber wick, not a plastic feed (reviewers, JetPens) |
| Grip | Curved, dimpled rubber (Monami Korea) |
| Colors | 10: red, orange, golden yellow, olive, green, blue, indigo, purple, red purple, black |
| Cartridges | International standard, per Monami; 2 extra in the pack |
| Item codes | F 2040047001–010 · EF 2040047011–020 |
| Example EAN | EF Blue 8801067435529 · F Black 8801067422710 |
| Made in | Not stated by Monami |
Monami doesn’t publish the pen’s length or weight. A Fountain Pen Network user compared its size to the Platinum Preppy, so our cover is drawn in proportion only.
F or EF: which nib should you get?
Choose EF for small handwriting and planners, F for everyday notes; Monami describes the EF as giving a finer, more detailed line. The Pen Addict’s 2019 review found the EF only on the clear pens (with a grip in the ink color) and the F on fully colored barrels.
Reviewers liked the nibs for the price: Sarah Read called her EF “surprisingly smooth” in 2018, while noting reports of uneven nib quality between pens.
What cartridges does the Olika take?
Monami’s sell sheet says the Olika is “refillable with international standard ink cartridge,” and Monami’s Korean site sells Olika refills in packs of 5 per color. Reviewers disagree on the details, so test before buying in bulk.
- Monami: international standard cartridges; its own Olika cartridges come in all 10 colors.
- The Pen Addict, 2019: Monami’s cartridges differ in diameter and length from international short cartridges, but standard ones fit.
- The Pen Addict, 2018: the reviewer also fitted LAMY cartridges; we haven’t confirmed that.
Because the feed is a fiber wick, ink soaks into it. The 2018 review and a JetPens note quoted on Fountain Pen Network both warn that switching colors means rinsing the wick for a long time.
How does the Olika compare to other starter fountain pens?
The Olika is a cheap, colorful one-ink pen; the Preppy and Kakuno have plastic feeds and converters, so they handle bottled ink better.
| Monami Olika | Platinum Preppy | Pilot Kakuno | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nibs | F, EF (steel) | 02 EF, 03 F, 05 M (steel) | EF, F, M (steel) |
| Feed | Fiber wick | Plastic | Plastic |
| Cartridges | International standard (Monami) | Platinum | Pilot |
| Price band | $$ | $$ | $$ |
Where is the Monami Olika made?
Monami doesn’t state it on its product pages or the Olika sell sheet. An August 2017 Fountain Pen Network post quoting a JetPens newsletter called it made in South Korea; we list it as not stated until a maker or retailer spec sheet confirms it.
How much does the Monami Olika cost?
It sits at the low end of our $$ band ($5–20 per pen); US reviewers in 2018 and 2019 found it just over $5. That makes it one of the cheapest fountain pens with a matching set of colored inks.
Frequently asked questions
What cartridges fit the Monami Olika?
Monami's sell sheet says the Olika is refillable with international standard ink cartridges, and Monami sells its own Olika cartridges in packs of 5. A 2019 Pen Addict review found Monami's cartridges differ a little in diameter and length from international short cartridges but said standard ones fit.
Does the Monami Olika come with ink?
Yes. Monami says each pen includes two extra cartridges, and reviewers report three in total, in the pen's own ink color.
What nib sizes does the Olika have?
Fine (F) and Extra Fine (EF), both steel. Monami lists them as separate products, Olika F and Olika EF.
Can you use bottled ink in a Monami Olika?
You can refill an empty cartridge with a syringe, which Fountain Pen Network users describe. We found no Monami converter for the Olika in our sources.
Is the Monami Olika good for beginners?
Reviewers think so: The Pen Addict called it a great gift and beginner pen in 2019. Its wick feed makes changing ink colors slow, so treat each pen as one color.
Is the Monami Olika the same as the Monami 153 fountain pen?
No. The 153 Neo and 153 ID fountain pens are Monami's pricier, metal-trimmed models with converters; the Olika is the plastic budget pen.
Where is the Monami Olika made?
Monami doesn't say on its product pages or sell sheet. One Fountain Pen Network post quoted JetPens as calling it made in South Korea; check the pack.
Sources
- Monami (English site): Olika F / EF (10 colors, F and EF, two extra cartridges)
- Monami (English site): Olika F / EF sell sheet (international standard cartridge, item codes, EANs)
- Monami (Korean site): 올리카 F (curved grip; refills sold 5 per set)
- Monami (Korean site): 올리카 EF (Extra Fine nib)
- Monami (Korean site): 올리카 리필카트리지 (Olika refill cartridges, 5 per color, 10 colors)
- Monami (English site): 153 NEO Fountain Pen EF (converter and cartridges)
- The Pen Addict: Monami Olika Fountain Pen Review (Sarah Read, October 4, 2018)
- The Pen Addict: Monami Olika Fountain Pen Review (Jeff Abbott, March 13, 2019)
- Fountain Pen Network: Monami Olika FPs now at JetPens (August 3, 2017; wick feed note, syringe refilling)
