Hyundai Motor marks one year since Seoul studio renewal with car-club festival

Hyundai Motor announced Wednesday it will hold a joint car-club festival called "Hyundai Motor Studio Playground" at Hyundai Motor Studio Seoul on Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary of the venue's renewal.

Hyundai Motor Studio Seoul was relaunched last year as a community space that embraces diverse car cultures beyond any single brand. Since then it has served as a gathering place where visitors can connect with one another through their shared passion for cars, going beyond simple exhibitions and hands-on programs.

In the year since its renewal, the studio has welcomed more than 110,000 visitors and hosted more than 20 car community events covering themes ranging from classic cars and sim racing to diecast models, mini cars and plastic model kits.

Among the highlights, the studio partnered with Classic Car Korea, the country's largest classic car club, for a "Classic Car Carmeet" featuring vehicles from various eras, and teamed up with diecast club Diecast Korea for an exhibition and flea market centered on diecast models.

In addition, the studio hosted the "Mini GT Seoul Collection Launch" for miniature car enthusiasts, cementing its identity as a space shaped by and for anyone who loves cars, regardless of cultural or taste boundaries.

The upcoming "Hyundai Motor Studio Playground" will be organized around the seven car clubs that have been part of the studio's community over the past year. Each floor will be configured to reflect the character of a different club so that both members and general visitors can enjoy the event.

Outside the building, Classic Car Korea and Pony club Team Pony will greet visitors with rotating displays of classic cars throughout the day.

On the first floor, a pop-up exhibition will showcase custom diecast models, plastic model kits and dioramas made by club members, while the second floor will host a model-kit assembly class run by plastic model club Choboeui Prammodel.

On the third floor, sim-racing club Assetto Corsa Cafe Club (ACCC) will run a lap-time challenge, and on the fourth floor Diecast Korea will sell and display a wide range of diecast models.

On the fifth floor, mini car racing club Minikaboom, Again! will stage a mini car race designed to appeal to younger visitors as well as adults, giving families a chance to experience car culture together.

Also on the fifth floor, car community WRD will run a showroom exhibition and merchandise sales under the concept of "a car enthusiast's room," while the rooftop will feature a trunk market and a light snack lounge.

"In an era when customer tastes are deepening and diversifying, we believe it is meaningful for an automaker to help spread and support car culture," said Ji Seong-won, executive vice president and head of brand marketing at Hyundai Motor. "Hyundai Motor Studio Seoul is a space where anyone who loves cars can enjoy themselves, and it will continue to be an open space that embraces all kinds of automotive tastes without boundaries."

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor has been expanding its customer touchpoints through various marketing activities, including 10 consecutive years of sponsoring amateur racing team Team HMC (Hyundai Motor Club).