14-Country Cosplayers Gather in Bucheon as Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival Opens on the 18th

[Financial News] A cosplay competition featuring 15 teams from 14 countries will be held in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival (GICOF) will feature an international competition, a commemorative exhibition, and hands-on programs for visitors.
According to the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency on the 8th, the festival will be held from the 18th to the 20th around the Korea Manhwa Museum, alongside the Bucheon International Comics Festival (BICOF). Its slogan, “Manman Universe,” conveys the idea that diverse characters and fictional worlds come together in one place: Bucheon.
Cosplayers from Korea and abroad who have passed the screening process will compete in the international GICOF Championship. Participants from the United States, Thailand, the Philippines, and Nordic countries will take part, while Greece and Italy are joining for the first time this year.
The “GICOF 10th-Anniversary Exhibition” will look back at the cosplayers who have participated in the festival over the past decade. An interactive event will also invite visitors to contribute photos of cosplayers to complete a single mosaic photo wall.
The hands-on programs include a cosplay experience booth, an amateur cosplay competition, a kids’ cosplay runway, a one-day cosplay class, and a webtoon OST contest.
The national-level competition will be held alongside the amateur contest and children’s runway. By linking stage viewing with hands-on activities, the festival is designed to broaden participation to visitors with limited cosplay experience.
Detailed schedules and program information are available on GICOF’s official website and social media channels.
Baek Jong-hoon, president of the agency, said, “With this 10th anniversary as a turning point, we will do our utmost to establish this event as global cultural content that goes beyond being a festival for subculture fans.”
[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter