Winners to receive goods design production support and pop-up exhibition opportunity

[Provided by KT&G]
[Provided by KT&G]

KT&G Sangsangmadang, a multipurpose cultural arts complex, is accepting applications for its 2026 Design Challenge — a competition supporting emerging domestic designers in launching their brands — through July 5.

Launched in 2013, the Design Challenge has established itself as a gateway for emerging artists through collaborations with leading design brands, goods production opportunities and mentoring programs. The average competition ratio over the past three years has been roughly 90 to 1.

This year's theme is "Filling all of South Korea with good energy." Participants are invited to express lucky places, objects, habits and experiences through illustrations or character cartoon formats.

Three winners will be selected and awarded prize money, along with support for collaborative goods production with popular brand Little Tempo Design and the opportunity to operate a pop-up store at the Design Square inside Sangsangmadang Hongdae. Final winners will be announced July 14.

Kim Cheon-beom, head of the Sangsangmadang Hongdae division at KT&G, said the competition has helped discover 34 designers with potential over the past 13-plus years and supported their growth into accomplished design artists.


spa@heraldcorp.com