From Ganadi to Janmang Lupi: Character Licensing Fair set to open next week

Characters that have woven themselves into everyday life — as entertainment, merchandise and intellectual property — will gather under one roof next week.

The Character Licensing Fair 2026, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and co-hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency and Coex, will run July 16-19 at Coex in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Now in its 25th edition, the Character Licensing Fair is South Korea's flagship character and content IP licensing event. This year's fair centers on the theme "Expand: Content IP," showcasing how characters can combine with diverse industries to generate new value. As last year, the fair will run alongside Boardgamecon 2026, a leading domestic board game event, allowing visitors to experience a wide range of content in one venue.

A total of 186 companies will operate 443 booths at this year's exhibition. Visitors can meet a wide array of popular domestic characters and content IP, including Esther Bunny by KBVision, Ganadi by H&F, Janmang Lupi by Iconix, Myohanryang by Myohanryang, Wang-nuni Dinosaur Tyrano by Lalala Company, Bunhorang by Studio Hojae, Shinhan Friends by Shinhan Bank, the mobile game Cats and Soup by Neowiz, and Remini — the character of the group Rescene — by Ollaboex.

The fair will also feature a Build-Up Planning Hall presenting collaboration cases between content and related industries, a Hallyu IP Hall showcasing domestic content IP with overseas market potential, and an Animation Special Hall highlighting the artistic quality of Korean animation.

During the event, a business-matching program will connect domestic and international buyers with participating companies. Last year, 388 overseas buyers from 16 countries took part, conducting 1,178 business consultations and recording projected contract values of about 37 billion won ($24.5 million).

Admission is free, in keeping with the fair's goal of energizing the content IP industry and expanding public access to culture. The opening ceremony on Thursday will feature Rescene, the event's promotional ambassador, for an appointment ceremony and a celebratory performance.

Kim Gyeong-hwa, director general of cultural industry policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said characters play a central role in expanding content IP into related industries such as products, retail and gaming. "We will support the Character Licensing Fair in becoming a practical business platform that helps domestic content IP companies commercialize their work and expand overseas, as well as a festival where the public can broadly experience the appeal of K-characters and content IP," Kim said.