SEOUL — The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has officially launched the third year of its signature institutional branding campaign featuring the fictional persona "Goikha". Marking its third consecutive year since its inception in 2024, the 2026 campaign carries the powerful core message: "Magical Powers That Change the World: International Development Cooperation." 

The term "Goikha" serves as a clever phonetic nickname for KOICA while doubling as a symbolic representation of the South Korean public. Through this creative branding initiative, KOICA emphasizes that Official Development Cooperation (ODA) and international aid are not merely governmental tasks, but a collective movement driven by the active participation of every Korean citizen. 

Expanding the "Goikha" Universe with Magic and History

Following the momentum of previous years—2024’s introduction under the theme "Finding Goikha (Thank You, Goikha)" and 2025’s "Goikha, It’s My Pleasure," which framed global cooperation as a source of national pride and personal joy—the 2026 campaign expands into the realm of "magic".

To bring this theme to life, KOICA has partnered with renowned illusionist and magician Choi Hyun-woo. Choi portrays a timeless, time-traveling wizard named Goikha, seamlessly weaving magic into the historical narrative of South Korea's transformation. Once a recipient of foreign aid following the Korean War, South Korea has evolved into a global pivotal state and a responsible donor nation. The campaign honors this remarkable journey, highlighting that behind every step of assistance and global solidarity has been "Goikha"—the Korean public—whose steady presence continues to write stories of magical transformation across the globe. 

This year’s overarching slogan, "With Goikha, A Finer Korea," encapsulates this spirit of continued growth and global contribution.

Engaging the Public: Teaser Success and Upcoming Programs

The campaign kicked off in late August with a mesmerizing teaser video featuring magician Choi Hyun-woo casting a spell with the Latin-inspired phrase, "Magica Facultas" (meaning "Magical Powers" with Goikha). The teaser sparked immense public interest, surpassing 300,000 views within just ten days of its release, with viewers praising the creative collaboration and anticipating the uplifting narrative. 

Building on this enthusiasm, KOICA rolled out the main campaign video on September 7. The core video illustrates how ordinary personal traits—such as relentless persistence, physical endurance, and strong empathy—multiply into extraordinary forces for global change when combined with KOICA's cooperative networks. 

To deepen public engagement, KOICA is hosting the "Star-Studded Powers Challenge" through October 5. Citizens can participate across three categories—wit, utility, and impact—by creating short-form videos, three-line poems, and digital content centered around KOICA. These interactive programs aim to show that individual capabilities, no matter how small they seem, can blossom into powerful catalysts for international development. 

Looking Ahead to a Grand Finale 

As the campaign enters its third year, KOICA plans to run a robust mix of online and offline advertisements, digital events, and community-driven programs over the next three months. The journey will culminate in November with a comprehensive wrap-up video summarizing the three-year evolution of the Goikha campaign (2024–2026), charting a vision for the future of international cooperation hand-in-hand with the public. 

Ryu Jin, Head of KOICA’s Public Relations Department, shared the vision behind the initiative: "Through this campaign, we hope the public recognizes themselves as 'Goikha,' takes deep pride as global citizens, and joins us in building 'a finer Korea.' We hope to foster deeper public interest and empathy toward ODA and international development cooperation." 

Established in 1991, KOICA continues to spearhead South Korea’s grant aid and technical cooperation programs, fostering sustainable socioeconomic development across partner countries worldwide while championing global solidarity.

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