Chunsik and Ryan Hit the Course Too... 10,000 Gather for Kakao Friends Run

[Financial News] More than 10,000 runners flocked to Kakao Friends Run, a running event hosted by Kakao Friends. The event won participants’ enthusiastic response as a festival combining running with character experiences, with Kakao Friends characters cheering on runners and specially made character medals awarded to finishers.
According to industry sources on the 12th, Kakao Friends Run, held at Tancheon Sports Complex in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on the 10th, was staged as a “fun run” where participants ran together and shared healthy energy rather than competing for the best times.
More than 10,000 participants ran the 10 km and 5 km courses. Kakao CEO Shina Chung also took part as a runner. The event venue featured installations and photo zones showcasing Kakao Friends characters, including Ryan and Chunsik. Character cheering signs and mascot-costumed cheering squads were stationed at various points along the course.
Medals were also made for finishers. Medals engraved with images of Ryan and Chunsik were handed out, and booths related to Kakao Friends’ intellectual property (IP) and events hosted by sponsors were set up at the venue.
Performances by singer John Park and the group RESCENE followed the race.
The event is also significant as an attempt by Kakao to expand the use of its character IP beyond product sales and into offline experiences. It is seen as a strategy to increase affinity for the Kakao Friends brand by giving users more opportunities to experience popular characters such as Ryan and Chunsik firsthand.
A Kakao representative said, “We are deeply grateful that more people than we expected joined and enjoyed the first-ever Kakao Friends Run 2026, launched this year. We will continue to present a diverse range of events that let people share healthy and enjoyable experiences in their daily lives with Kakao Friends.”

[email protected] Jang Mingwon Reporter