The 2026 Seoul International Buddhism Expo, held over four days from the 2nd to the 5th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, drew a record number of visitors.
The expo's organizing office announced on the 6th that approximately 250,000 people attended the 14th edition of the event this year, an increase of 50,000 from last year. After the opening, attendance far exceeded projections, prompting organizers to end on-site registration early from the morning of the third day and operate primarily on a pre-registration basis for safety reasons.
The organizing office said the expo has established itself as an urban traditional culture and lifestyle festival, noting that 73% of this year's visitors were in their 20s and 30s, and 48% had no religious affiliation. Given the explosive demand and on-site congestion this year, organizers plan to double the exhibition space starting from next year's expo and significantly expand foot traffic flow and rest areas, the office said.
