The Korea Character Licensing Fair (KCLF) is set to take place from July 17 to 20, 2025, at COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in Seoul. As one of the most significant events in Asia for character-based IPs, the fair serves as a central meeting point for both industry professionals and the general public.
Gearing up for its 2025 edition, the Korea Character and Licensing Fair is expected to draw more than 130,000 visitors and host nearly 300 exhibitors, involved in various aspects of character creation, licensing, and content production.
The timing of the fair, in mid-July, coincides with a strategic period in Korea’s licensing calendar, following major family holidays and the summer retail season. This positioning makes it a valuable opportunity for companies looking to launch or license new IPs with enough lead time for late-year marketing and product development.
In recent years, Korea’s character IP sector has gained increasing international attention, bolstered by the global success of K-pop, K-dramas, and online content, well integrated into Korean consumer culture. KCLF reflects this integration, fostering cross-sector collaborations that range from retail activations at convenience stores to mobile games and animated web content.
This diverse and integrated market provides fertile ground for successful business connections among IP holders and licensing partners across domestic and international markets. Companies involved in animation, games, publishing, merchandising, and digital content use the fair as a venue to showcase IP and explore licensing opportunities, with exhibitors ranging from emerging creators to established studios and globally recognized brands.
The Business Connecting Zone bridges participating companies with buyers from various distribution channels – such as retailers, vendors, open markets, social commerce platforms, online malls, and offline stores – with on-site meetings, scheduled in advance through an online matching system.
One of the defining features of KCLF is its emphasis on both creative development and market viability. The 2025 program includes a showcase of Korea’s most prominent character IPs intended for global expansion, and the fair also supports emerging creators through initiatives designed to give them exposure and access to licensing professionals.
For example, the Rookie Project, a participatory exhibition space featuring works by emerging and amateur artists, aims at discovering and fostering talented emerging artists and serves as a platform to connect them with institutions and companies, contributing to the development of the cultural and creative industries. The New Character IP Promotion Zone and the K-Wave IP Pavilion respectively showcase a variety of original goods and content based on the IP characters by 10 emerging creators, and products born from the fusion of K-pop, K-dramas, and K-variety shows with consumer goods and service.
Special attention is being given to sustainability and social responsibility, as reflected in program initiatives that address ESG themes in character development and brand strategy. The ESG Pavilion, dedicated to promoting ESG values and a sustainable character IP ecosystem, introduces various programs and companies committed to responsible growth in the character industry. Its key program includes campaigns for repairing and reusing old character merchandise and toys, exhibition and sales of character goods co-created with artists with developmental disabilities, and hands-on experiences in recycling crushed plastic and PET bottles.
Overall, the Korea Character Licensing Fair 2025 serves as a barometer of the region’s character IP trends and business strategies. Its blend of cultural engagement and commercial purpose makes it a vital space for anyone involved in the licensing ecosystem. Whether as a place for discovering the next breakout character or securing strategic partnerships, the fair continues to offer a meaningful lens on how Korea is shaping the global future of character-based storytelling and branding.
Visit us at Hall A, booth A.004!
