(c) Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
The ‘2026 MyK FESTA,’ which attracted approximately 56,000 domestic and international visitors, has successfully concluded, establishing itself as a representative K-culture industry event that encompasses not only K-content but also beauty, fashion, food, and lifestyle.
Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, the ‘2026 MyK FESTA’ was held from June 25th to 28th at KINTEX and Sono Calm Goyang. The event saw a total of 56,000 attendees, including approximately 18,000 foreign tourists, surpassing last year’s figure of 46,000.
During the event, various companies and organizations from fields such as K-content, beauty, food, fashion, and lifestyle participated by operating exhibitions, experience zones, and pop-up stores. Talk programs featuring creators and cultural artists from each field were also provided. Furthermore, by hosting export consultation sessions connecting overseas buyers with domestic companies, the event strengthened its role as an industrial exchange platform, expanding the foundation for the overseas expansion of the K-culture industry.
At the ‘MyK Street’ in Hall 3 of KINTEX Exhibition Center 1, 156 companies, including Nongshim, Dong-A Pharmaceutical, Musinsa, Isaac Toast, and Jeju Samdasoo, participated to showcase brand experiences and new products. Government ministries including the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency, as well as local governments like Boryeong-si and Jangheung-gun, operated booths to introduce the diverse charms of K-culture.
A German tourist who visited the venue said, "I came to see my favorite K-pop singer's performance, and I was satisfied to be able to experience K-fashion and K-food as well," adding, "The personal color diagnosis experience was particularly impressive."
The ‘MyK Voice’ program was also held at the same exhibition center. Creators from various fields, including film director Lee Byeong-heon, webtoon artist Joo Dong-geun, character artist Memil, musical actor Kim Ho-young, fashion expert Ellis Punk, makeup artist Risabae, and the group Fifty Fifty, communicated with the audience and drew high interest. The K-seafood cooking show hosted by chef Yeo Kyung-rae attracted a large crowd with long queues, and the performance team Artbeat decorated the final stage of the event with a K-pop cover dance.
(c) Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Approximately 26,000 domestic and international fans participated in the ‘MyK Live’ K-pop concert held on June 26th and 27th. Highlight, Treasure, RIIZE, and Hearts to Hearts performed, and the concert footage will be released sequentially in August through tvN and the official MyK FESTA YouTube channel.
Achievements in industrial exchange also followed. At the ‘MyK Trade’ held at Sono Calm Goyang from June 25th to 26th, 201 domestic companies and 151 overseas buyers from 27 countries participated in 1-on-1 export consultations for products and services in the fields of content, beauty, food, fashion, and lifestyle.
This year, consultation sessions for entry into Alibaba.com and Qoo10 Japan were also held, providing opportunities for entry into overseas online distribution networks. During the event, a total of 1,900 consultations took place, and 17 memorandums of understanding (MOU) and contracts were signed on-site. The on-site transaction value counted so far is approximately 39.35 billion KRW, with the potential transaction volume for follow-up discussions estimated at approximately 389.17 billion KRW.
In particular, the MOU between the domestic content company Kallavinka and the Hong Kong buyer Agogo Animation was evaluated as a case demonstrating that global interest in K-content is leading to actual demand for products and services from domestic K-culture companies.
(c) Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
A representative from a Mexican buying company who participated in the export consultation session stated, "This event was a great opportunity to discover new products and build meaningful business relationships. Through consultations with Korean companies, we were able to specifically explore the possibility of future cooperation."
Lee Yoon-jeong, CEO of Notban Anseong Bangjjayugi, who signed an MOU with a Chinese buyer, said, "It is not easy for a small company to find and consult with overseas buyers directly, but through this export consultation session, I was able to introduce my products and meet partners with the potential for future success. It was a meaningful time where I gained confidence in overseas market expansion."
Kim Young-soo, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, visited the venue to encourage participating companies and stakeholders, checked the areas of interest of overseas buyers, and toured ‘MyK Street’ with actor Lee Chae-min to meet participating companies and visitors.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to continue supporting the overseas expansion of K-culture companies through MyK FESTA and develop it into a global K-culture industry platform where foreign tourists visiting Korea can experience all aspects of K-culture.
[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]
