Newly Selected as a Cultural Tourism Festival
National Funding and Internationalization Accelerate Ahead of 30th Anniversary
The Bucheon International Comics Festival has been newly selected as a '2027 Cultural Tourism Festival' designated by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The Korea Manhwa Contents Agency announced on the 2nd that the Bucheon International Comics Festival has been designated as a 2027 Cultural Tourism Festival. Photo by Korea Manhwa Contents Agency
The Korea Manhwa Contents Agency announced on February 2 that the Bucheon International Comics Festival has been listed as a Cultural Tourism Festival for 2027. Cultural Tourism Festivals are national-level festivals selected by the government based on a comprehensive evaluation of festival management stability, program competitiveness, and regional connectivity.
The Bucheon International Comics Festival, which began in 1998, has continued for nearly 30 years and is recognized as Korea's leading comics and webtoon festival. Each year, more than 100,000 visitors attend, and the event has grown into a complex cultural gathering where creators, industry professionals, academics, and fans participate together. In particular, the festival has been praised for expanding its identity and scale based on the continuous participation of local citizens and readers.
This selection comes ahead of the festival's 30th anniversary in 2027. As a result, the Bucheon International Comics Festival will receive national funding from 2027 and will be able to further strengthen its operational foundation through government-level support, including enhanced international promotion, the development of tourism-linked programs, and improved content competitiveness.
The agency plans to use this selection as an opportunity to expand international exchange programs and business linkage functions, and to pursue phased growth as a global festival in connection with the city's tourism brand. The agency is also considering advanced measures to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) technology throughout the festival's operations.
Paek Jonghun, President of the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency, stated, "This selection as a Cultural Tourism Festival is the result of the efforts of citizens and comics professionals who have supported the Bucheon International Comics Festival for the past 30 years," adding, "We will solidify our status as Korea's representative comics festival and develop it into a platform that promotes the competitiveness of K-Comics to the world."
Meanwhile, the Cultural Tourism Festival is a national-level festival designated by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and, once selected, is included as a target for mid- to long-term development.
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