Chuncheon AniToy Festival closes with about 40,000 visitors, up 12,000 from 2025
In short
The 29th Chuncheon AniToy Festival ran from October 3 to 5 at the Animation Museum area in Chuncheon and drew about 40,000 citizens and tourists, up roughly 12,000 from last year, the city said. The family-oriented programme combined animation and toy themes with performances, play zones and AI experiences. A city official said visitor feedback and operations would be analysed to develop the event into a family festival representing the region.
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The 29th Chuncheon AniToy Festival closed on October 5 after three days, drawing about 40,000 citizens and tourists, Chuncheon city said. The figure is roughly 12,000 more than last year’s event, according to the city’s count. [ 1 , 2 ]
The festival ran from October 3 to 5 at the Animation Museum area in Chuncheon. It combined animation and toy themes with performances, play and AI experiences so that children and parents could enjoy it together, according to the reports. Opening day featured a special magic show by magician Choi Hyun-woo, and an opening video made from the winning entries of an AI animation video contest held before the festival. [ 1 , 2 ]
Over the three days the programme included the Bebefin Happy Concert, the Gogo Dino singalong show, Inssa Family, a performance by Chuncheon-born YouTuber Ppangsint TV and a kids EDM dance party. Bubble, balloon and magic shows took place around the venue. A large air bounce and 12 types of eco-friendly wooden play structures were set up on the grass plaza, while parents and children used a retro arcade and an old-style stationery store. [ 1 , 2 ]
An AI playground offered experiences in making short-form videos and games with generative AI and taking photos, alongside virtual reality and drone experiences, a children’s second-hand market called the Children’s Dream Market, an illustration exhibition and a flea market. At an ESG toy market, visitors could repair broken toys, exchange discarded toys or turn them into new products. Maeil Business also reported that food trucks used reusable containers to reduce disposables, and that the city placed safety staff in each zone, worked with police and fire authorities and used an AI drone-based smart parking control system to check traffic flows in real time and concentrate staff at busy times. [ 1 , 2 ]
A Chuncheon city official said the festival’s strength is that children and parents can share each other’s culture and memories, adding that the city would analyse visitor responses and operating results to develop the event into a family festival representing Chuncheon. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The attendance figure, released by the city, is the main measure of the festival’s reach and of its value as a regional visitor draw. The city says it plans to use the results to build the event into a family festival representing Chuncheon, which points to a continued municipal role in funding and running it. Nothing in the documents indicates effects beyond the local event.
Key facts
- The 29th Chuncheon AniToy Festival was held from October 3 to 5 at the Animation Museum area in Chuncheon. [ 1 , 2 ]
- About 40,000 citizens and tourists visited, according to city figures. [ 1 , 2 ]
- That is an increase of about 12,000 visitors from last year’s event. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Opening-day events included a magic show by magician Choi Hyun-woo and an opening video made from winners of a pre-festival AI animation video contest. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Programmes included the Bebefin Happy Concert, the Gogo Dino singalong show, Inssa Family, Chuncheon-born YouTuber Ppangsint TV and a kids EDM dance party. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The site had a large air bounce and 12 types of eco-friendly wooden play structures on the grass plaza, plus a retro arcade and an old-style stationery store. [ 1 , 2 ]
- An AI playground offered generative-AI short-form video and game making and photo taking, alongside VR and drone experiences. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Maeil Business reported that the city deployed zone-by-zone safety staff, worked with police and fire authorities and used an AI drone-based smart parking control system to monitor traffic. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The festival ran for three days, from October 3 to 5, at the Animation Museum area in Chuncheon. [ 1 , 2 ]
- It was the 29th edition of the festival. [ 1 , 2 ]
- About 40,000 people visited, roughly 12,000 more than last year, according to Chuncheon city. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Magician Choi Hyun-woo performed on opening day, and an opening video was made from winners of an AI animation video contest held before the festival. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The programme combined animation and toy themes with performances, play areas and AI experiences for children and parents. [ 1 , 2 ]
- A Chuncheon city official said the festival’s strength is that children and parents can share each other’s culture and memories, and that visitor responses and operations would be analysed to develop it into a family festival representing the city. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- No breakdown of visitors by day, by residence or by spending was given. Both documents cite only the overall three-day total of about 40,000, attributed to Chuncheon city.
- It is not stated how much the festival cost or how it was funded. Neither document mentions a budget or organisers’ funding, so the scale of public spending is unknown.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The 29th Chuncheon AniToy Festival opens at the Animation Museum area, with a magic show by Choi Hyun-woo and an opening video from the AI animation video contest. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The three-day festival closes after drawing about 40,000 visitors. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Yonhap reports the festival’s closing and the city’s visitor count of about 40,000, up about 12,000 from last year. [ 1 ]
- Maeil Business reports the city’s figures, including safety management and smart parking measures used during the event. [ 2 ]