[On-site Report from Korea] KOREA MICE EXPO 2025 Held at COEX, Seoul, November 3–5 — The Power of Korea’s United MICE Industry and a Look at the Event as a Whole
KOREA MICE EXPO 2025 (KME2025) concluded successfully after three vibrant days from Monday, November 3 to Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at COEX in Seoul. Organized by the Korea MICE Association and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, KME2025 stands as Korea’s leading international certified exhibition in the MICE field.
This year’s theme, “Meaningful Impact Connects Everyone,” reflected the event’s mission to promote collaboration and innovation across the global MICE ecosystem. Returning to Seoul for the first time in 12 years, the event attracted more than 5,000 MICE professionals from Korea and abroad.
The Strength of Korea’s MICE Industry Demonstrated at KME2025
KME2025 positioned itself as the premier business platform connecting industries and people. Developed over the past 20 years with public sector support and transferred to the Korea MICE Association three years ago, the event is widely recognized as a successful model of public–private collaboration.
Active Business Meetings and Nationwide Participation: All 17 Metropolitan Governments of Korea Took Part
KME2025 brought together more than 5,000 professionals and featured 450 exhibition booths. At the heart of the event was a dynamic business meeting program, where over 350 exhibiting organizations and companies (sellers) met with around 200 buyers. More than 100 international buyers from 16 countries across Asia were invited, each planning future MICE events in the region. From within Korea, about 100 buyers from 45 domestic organizations—including academic societies, associations, and corporations—also participated.
All 17 metropolitan and provincial governments of Korea joined the exhibition, carrying out joint marketing efforts in partnership with their respective regional MICE alliances. Participation from overseas organizations and major hotel groups such as Sono Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham, and IHG also increased significantly this year.
Value Creation through Conference Programs and Special Experiences
In addition to exhibitions and business meetings, KME2025 offered a series of conference programs exploring emerging trends and innovations within the MICE industry.
Conferences Discussing the Latest Trends
The conference program was structured around two key concepts: “MICE Wave” and “Open Session.”
“MICE Wave” focused on the theme of “Impactful MICE Planning,” featuring speakers such as Hyunmin Tak, Event Planning Advisor to the Speaker of the National Assembly of Korea, and Sachiko Yoshimura, Director of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Expo (Expo 2025 Osaka). Both shared insights on how to create lasting legacies through MICE events.
The “Open Session” took place over three days on the conference stage within the exhibition hall. It featured a range of programs, including collaborative sessions with domestic and international organizations, pitching sessions introducing innovative technologies and services by MICE companies, and training sessions designed to strengthen practical skills across the industry.
Cultural Tours and Performances Showcasing Local Heritage
To enrich the overall experience for participants, KME2025 featured a variety of special programs. For international buyers, the Korea Tourism Organization organized a Seoul Night Tour as part of a “Bleisure Program,” blending business and leisure experiences.
Following the main event, a two-day post-tour was arranged, taking participants to Gunsan, Gwangju, and Gangneung—offering valuable opportunities for international delegates to experience Korea’s diverse regional cultures and destinations.
Within the venue, six contemporary traditional music teams supported by the Korea Traditional Performing Arts Foundation presented live performances that combined tradition and modernity, including K-pop and K-culture–inspired acts.
Impressions from the KME2025 by MICE TIMES ONLINE
As an overseas media partner, we participated in KOREA MICE EXPO 2025. Details of our interviews with exhibitors will be shared in a separate article. Here, we would like to introduce how the exhibition venue looked on November 3, the first day of the event.
COEX in Seoul’s Gangnam District: The Largest Exhibition Center in the City
The venue was COEX, located in Seoul’s Gangnam District. Opened in 1979 as the Korea Exhibition Center, COEX has evolved into a major convention and commercial complex, now connected to the COEX Mall. One of its most popular attractions, the “Starfield Library,” located inside the mall, draws crowds daily as a photogenic landmark. The venue is easily accessible, directly connected to Seoul Metro Lines 2 and 9.
Gangnam, where COEX is situated, is one of Seoul’s largest business and commercial districts, home to high-rise office towers, luxury brand stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Hall C served as the main exhibition hall for KME2025, where domestic and international exhibitors showcased their booths. Media representatives were allowed early entry, offering an opportunity to tour the entire venue before the doors officially opened.
Regional Booths Showcasing All 17 Metropolitan Cities and Provinces
The Seoul booth featured a vivid, colorful design and an excellent location right near the entrance.
At the Gyeongju booth, visitors were reminded that the city hosted the APEC Summit this November. With visits from leaders such as Prime Minister of Japan, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Gyeongju’s international profile has risen dramatically.
Located in central Korea, Sejong is a special administrative city known for its role as the nation’s new governmental hub, and it also boasts strong MICE capabilities.
The Busan booth represented Korea’s southern port city, where we conducted interviews earlier this spring on the city’s expanding MICE infrastructure.
To the west of Seoul lies Incheon, home to popular integrated resorts such as Inspire Resort. Its booth stood out with a charming and playful design inspired by the board game Monopoly, drawing smiles from visitors.
In central-western Korea, Daejeon—the nation’s fifth-largest city—is renowned for its academic and research institutions and continues to strengthen its MICE capabilities.
Located in the southwest, Gwangju is another city actively investing in MICE development.
Jeju’s booth radiated a resort-like atmosphere. Even though KME is a professional trade exhibition, the creative and lively regional booths made the event visually engaging and enjoyable.
Gangneung, famous as a filming location for Korean dramas, is seeing new seaside facilities opening soon. Details on these upcoming developments will be featured in a separate article.
Beyond Regional Booths: Focus on DX, Technology, and Human Resources
One of the standout exhibits came from a leading Korean company known for producing the LED displays used in the Korea Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. LED technology was also widely showcased throughout the exhibition hall, impressing visitors with its brightness, high resolution, and powerful visual impact.
At the center of the venue, a café area provided a relaxing space for attendees. Korean exhibitions are often notable for their well-designed café zones, offering visitors a comfortable place to take a break—something that would be welcome at Japanese exhibition venues as well.
Another highlight was the advanced guidance and navigation system installed at the event, which left a strong impression. More details on this system will be introduced in a separate article.
It was also interesting to see university students operating some of the booths. These activities serve as practical learning opportunities for students studying MICE management. The hiring and development of young talent in Korea’s MICE industry will be discussed further in an upcoming feature.
Welcome Dinner
The gala dinner held on the first evening was a lively celebration that truly showcased the strength and unity of Korea’s MICE industry. The live performance, blending elements of traditional Korean music and modern sounds, delivered an impressive and powerful experience for all attendees.
KME2026 to Be Held at COEX Magok
Danny Hyundae Shin, President of the Korea MICE Association, stated that KME will continue to serve not only as a platform for generating tangible business outcomes but also as an effective driver of the MICE industry—providing participants with memorable and inspiring experiences.
Following the successful conclusion of KME2025, the next edition, KOREA MICE EXPO 2026, is scheduled to take place from Wednesday, November 18 to Friday, November 20, 2026, at COEX Magok, a newly opened convention center in Seoul. Opened in November 2024, COEX Magok offers world-class infrastructure and convenient access from the airport, making next year’s visit something to look forward to.
