Costumed characters wave to children during a "Character Parade Show" featuring 60 popular characters at the Starfield shopping mall in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 2, 2025. Yonhap
Beloved characters that have become fixtures in toys, games, banking and social media will take center stage next week as Korea's largest character licensing event returns to Seoul, bringing together creators, brands and global buyers under one roof.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday that Character Licensing Fair 2026 will be held from Wednesday through Saturday at Coex Hall A and Hall B1 in Seoul.
Hosted by the ministry and jointly organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency and Coex, the annual event marks its 25th edition under the theme "Expand: Content IP."
The fair will feature 186 companies operating 443 exhibition booths, showcasing popular Korean characters and intellectual property (IP) spanning entertainment, finance and gaming.
