The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Business Agency (SBA) are calling for applicants to join the Seoul Pavilion at the 2026 ChinaJoy, the 2026 Busan Indie Connect Festival (BIC), and G-STAR 2026. The application window is open until 20 April.

Last year, the SBA ran Seoul Pavilions at Tokyo Game Show 2025 and G-STAR 2025, backing 18 game studios such as L&K Logic Korea and Ikina Games. The results were quite the tally: 225 business meetings, 9 MOUs and NDAs, and a projected contract value of approximately $77 million.

This year, the agency aims to continue its support for small and medium-sized game developers in Seoul, helping them crack overseas markets and secure essential investment through these major industry showcases.

In a bold move, they are launching a standalone Seoul Pavilion at ChinaJoy for the very first time in 2026. This follows the warming diplomatic tides observed during the South Korea-China summit last January, which emphasised expanding cultural exchanges. By setting up shop in China, the SBA hopes to facilitate business matching with key buyers and publishers, alongside gathering valuable FGT data. For context, last year’s ChinaJoy hosted 799 companies from 31 countries, pulling in a staggering 410,000 visitors.

The numbers elsewhere are equally eye-watering: BIC saw 592 companies from 41 countries attend, with footfall reaching 38,000—a 50% jump compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, G-STAR maintained its status as a behemoth, drawing 1,273 companies from 44 countries and welcoming roughly 200,000 visitors.

The selection process involves a written assessment using the SBA's proprietary game content diagnostic kit. They plan to select around 24 companies in total: approximately 9 for ChinaJoy, 6 for BIC, and 9 for G-STAR.

Every applicant will receive feedback based on the diagnostic kit results. Those ultimately chosen will be provided with booth space, business matching services, promotional support, interpreters, and on-site operational assistance.

Moon Gu-seon, Head of the Creative Industry Division at SBA, remarked, "The SBA is committed to ensuring Seoul's top-tier game companies achieve tangible business results at major domestic and international markets. We intend to bolster the competitiveness of the Seoul game industry and reinforce the foundations for K-games to thrive globally through expanded partnerships and market access."

For further details, visit the official Seoul Business Agency website to find out more.