Oct. 19–25 ... emerging and independent creators to participate
'Yosu City IN Seoul' and resin toy exhibition zone also featured
The Seoul Toy Festival, a showcase bringing art toys and character intellectual property together under one roof, will run from Oct. 19 to 25 on the sixth floor of the new wing of Mario Outlet Building 1 in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul.
Organized by Kaipro Studio, a content and art toy project company, and sponsored by Mario Outlet and MGM IP, the event will feature domestic art toy artists, character IP companies and independent creators.
The festival floor will display a wide range of creative works — art toys, characters, figures, resin toys and collectibles. Participating artists, companies and independent creators will present existing works alongside limited-edition art toys, new releases and collaboration pieces at their individual booths.
Art toys are artistic and collectible works that express a creator's personality and worldview through characters or sculptural forms. Well-known examples include the bear-shaped BE@RBRICK, the Companion figure by American artist KAWS, and Labubu, which has drawn wide popularity in recent years.
A special exhibition is also planned. "Yosu City IN Seoul," produced in collaboration with domestic sculpture collective 357 Partment, will reimagine monsters and strange beings from Korean folk tales and oral tradition as contemporary characters, art toys and sculptural works.
A dedicated resin toy exhibition zone will bring together a variety of resin sculptures in one space. Visitors will be able to examine up close the actual size, form, texture and paintwork of pieces they may have previously encountered only through online images or social media.
The organizers said their focus was on lowering the barrier to entry for emerging artists and independent creators rather than competing over large exhibition facilities or elaborate booths, and on creating a space where creators and visitors can meet directly and talk about the work.
Cheon Chang-wook, chief operating officer of Kaipro Studio, said there had long been a shortage of events where emerging artists could participate without pressure and consistently meet audiences. "We want to keep the Seoul Toy Festival going on a regular basis and build a venue where creators and visitors can continue to meet," he said.
Kaipro Studio plans to hold the Seoul Toy Festival on a recurring basis, starting with this event, and develop it into a cultural platform where domestic art toy artists, character IP holders and independent creators can connect with the public.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
