Seoul Design Week draws 670,000 visitors as city expands global reach

Seoul Design Week drew 670,000 visitors across Seoul from Oct. 14 to 25, expanding its program beyond Dongdaemun Design Plaza to 150 design destinations in five areas. Organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation, the festival brought together companies, brands, designers and students. Its international program included exhibitions and exchanges, while the Seoul Design Award received a record 1,204 submissions from 91 countries. The event also previewed the brand identity and slogan for Seoul’s 2027 World Design Congress.

The festival included 871 companies and brands, 370 designers and 353 university students.

The DDP Design Fair, co-hosted with 29CM, attracted 35,000 visitors over five days, with more than 80 brands presenting products.

The Seoul Design Award’s 1,204 submissions came from 91 countries, compared with 75 entries at its inaugural edition.

The grand prize went to U.S. nonprofit Design that Matters for its Otter Newborn Warmer, a portable device designed for settings with limited electricity and medical resources.

The 2027 World Design Congress preview introduced the slogan Think, Make, Change.

Published Oct 28, 2026 4:47 pm KST

Visitors browse product displays and art installations during Seoul Design Week 2026, held Oct. 14-25 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation

Seoul Design Week attracted 670,000 visitors over 12 days, turning the city into a sprawling showcase for design and consumer culture while drawing international attention ahead of Seoul’s hosting of the 2027 World Design Congress.

Organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation, the festival ran from Oct. 14 to 25, bringing together 871 companies and brands, 370 designers and 353 university students.

This year’s edition expanded beyond Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) to 150 design destinations across five areas of Seoul, including Seongsu, Yeonhui, Seochon and Apgujeong, giving visitors opportunities to explore design in studios, exhibitions and everyday spaces.

The DDP Design Fair, co-hosted with lifestyle commerce platform 29CM, drew 35,000 visitors over five days, with more than 80 brands presenting products under the theme “A market full of personal tastes.”

The event connected consumers with emerging and established designers, offering participating brands opportunities to gauge customer reactions and explore new sales channels.

International participation also featured prominently at Seoul Design Week 2026, with exhibitions and exchange programs involving design institutions and studios from countries including Italy and Spain.

The Seoul Design Award 2026 received a record 1,204 project submissions from 91 countries, up from 75 entries at its inaugural edition, reflecting a roughly 16-fold increase.

The grand prize went to Design that Matters, a U.S. nonprofit design organization, for its Otter Newborn Warmer, a portable device designed to keep newborns warm in settings with limited electricity and medical resources.

The event also featured discussions on artificial intelligence, sustainable design and human-centered innovation, while a preview program introduced the official brand identity and slogan, “Think, Make, Change,” for the 2027 World Design Congress in Seoul.

“Seoul Design Week is a platform where citizens discover new tastes and brands, while designers and companies find new markets and connect with the world," said Cha Kang-hee, CEO of the Seoul Design Foundation.

“With global interest in K-design growing, we will work to make Seoul a center of world design.”

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

10月14日至25日，首尔设计周吸引了67万名参观者，活动范围从东大门设计广场扩展到五大区域的150个设计目的地。此次设计周由首尔市政府和首尔设计基金会联合举办，汇聚了众多企业、品牌、设计师和学生。其国际项目包括展览和交流活动，而首尔设计奖则收到了来自91个国家的1204份参赛作品，创下历史新高。此外，活动还提前发布了2027年首尔世界设计大会的品牌标识和标语。

本次电影节共有 871 家公司和品牌、370 位设计师和 353 名大学生参加。

由 DDP 与 29CM 联合主办的 DDP 设计展在五天内吸引了 35,000 名参观者，超过 80 个品牌展示了产品。

首尔设计奖共收到来自 91 个国家的 1204 份参赛作品，而首届比赛仅有 75 份参赛作品。

大奖颁给了美国非营利组织 Design that Matters，其产品是 Otter 新生儿保暖器，这是一款专为电力和医疗资源有限的环境设计的便携式设备。

2027 年世界设计大会预展提出了“思考、创造、改变”的口号。

发布于2026年10月28日下午4:47（韩国标准时间）

在2026年首尔设计周期间（10月14日至25日），参观者在首尔市中心的东大门设计广场浏览产品展示和艺术装置。图片由首尔设计基金会提供。

首尔设计周在 12 天内吸引了 67 万名游客，将这座城市变成了设计和消费文化的巨大展示舞台，同时也在首尔举办 2027 年世界设计大会之前吸引了国际社会的关注。

该节日由首尔市政府和首尔设计基金会主办，于 10 月 14 日至 25 日举行，汇聚了 871 家公司和品牌、370 名设计师和 353 名大学生。

今年的活动规模从东大门设计广场 (DDP) 扩展到首尔五个地区的 150 个设计目的地，包括圣水、延禧、西村和狎鸥亭，让参观者有机会在工作室、展览和日常空间中探索设计。

由 DDP 与生活方式电商平台 29CM 联合主办的 DDP 设计展，在五天内吸引了 35,000 名参观者，80 多个品牌以“充满个人品味的市场”为主题展示了产品。

此次活动将消费者与新兴和知名设计师联系起来，为参与品牌提供了评估客户反应和探索新销售渠道的机会。

国际参与在 2026 年首尔设计周上也占据了重要地位，展览和交流项目涉及来自意大利和西班牙等国的设计机构和工作室。

2026 年首尔设计奖共收到来自 91 个国家的 1204 个项目参赛作品，创历史新高，而首届比赛仅收到 75 个参赛作品，参赛作品数量增长了约 16 倍。

大奖颁给了美国非营利设计组织 Design that Matters，获奖作品是 Otter 新生儿保暖器，这是一款便携式设备，旨在电力和医疗资源有限的环境中保持新生儿温暖。

此次活动还探讨了人工智能、可持续设计和以人为本的创新等议题，同时还推出了预览节目，介绍了 2027 年首尔世界设计大会的官方品牌标识和口号“思考、创造、改变”。

“首尔设计周是一个平台，市民可以在这里发现新的品味和品牌，而设计师和公司则可以在这里找到新的市场并与世界建立联系，”首尔设计基金会首席执行官车康熙表示。

“随着全球对韩国设计的兴趣日益浓厚，我们将努力把首尔打造成为世界设计中心。”

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。