IFS International Franchise Show 2026: Dates, Venue and Visitor Information

IFS International Franchise Show 2026 — officially the 제61회 IFS 프랜차이즈 창업·산업 박람회 (2026 하반기) — runs Thursday, October 22 to Saturday, October 24, 2026 at COEX Hall C (3F) in Gangnam, Seoul. Hosted by the Korea Franchise Association (한국프랜차이즈산업협회) and organised by RX Korea and COEX, it is a B2B and B2C franchise fair where aspiring entrepreneurs, franchisees and franchisors across food, cafe/dessert, retail and service brands can compare franchise opportunities and store-operation suppliers in one place. This guide covers the confirmed dates, venue, admission, registration and what a visitor can reasonably expect.

Event at a Glance

Event	IFS International Franchise Show
Official Korean title	제61회 IFS 프랜차이즈 창업·산업 박람회 (2026 하반기)
Dates	Thursday 22 – Saturday 24 October 2026
Hours	10:00–17:00 daily Last admission 16:30
Venue	COEX, Hall C (3F), Seoul 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06164
Host	Korea Franchise Association (한국프랜차이즈산업협회)
Co-organisers	RX Korea (Reed Exhibitions Korea) and COEX
Visitor type	B2B and B2C — aspiring entrepreneurs, franchisees and franchisors
Admission	Pre-registration ₩5,000 · on-site ₩15,000 · invitation holders free
Official website	ifskorea.co.kr

Last verified: October 1, 2026

Event schedules, tickets, exhibitors and programmes may change. Confirm current details with the organiser before travelling.

What Is the IFS International Franchise Show?

The IFS International Franchise Show is a franchise business exhibition for people planning to start a business or expand a franchise. According to the organiser’s show overview, the event is hosted by the Korea Franchise Association and organised by RX Korea and COEX, with sponsorship from six government bodies: the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; the Ministry of SMEs and Startups; the Fair Trade Commission; the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety; and the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

The show is structured in two parts, as described on the About IFS page:

Franchise Brand Expo (창업전) — franchise brands for prospective owners, spanning food and restaurant, cafe and dessert, retail, and service categories.
Franchise Supply Expo (산업전) — suppliers and solutions for store operation.

This two-part layout lets a visitor research both franchise brands and store-operation suppliers in a single visit.

Dates, Venue and Entry

Dates: Thursday 22 – Saturday 24 October 2026.
Hours: 10:00–17:00 each day, with last admission at 16:30.
Venue: COEX Hall C (3rd floor), 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06164.
Admission: Pre-registration ₩5,000; on-site registration ₩15,000; invitation holders enter free.

The organiser’s visit information page confirms the hours (10:00–17:00, last admission 16:30) and the venue (COEX Hall C, 3F), and the pre-registration page states the admission fees above.

Confirmed Programme and Exhibitors

The show overview lists the following programme elements: the Franchise Brand Expo and Franchise Supply Expo, a Docent Tour, Biz-matching, a Red Carpet Library, and a Rising Star Zone. Korean industry press also report a newly added 1인 창업 특별관 (solo-startup special hall) for this autumn edition.

Korean industry press — Foodicon and Foodtoday — report around 200 companies and 530 booths, with an exhibitor application rate above 90%. These figures and the names below come from press coverage rather than a live official directory, so treat them as announced, not final:

Brand Expo (announced examples): 자담치킨, 크리스피크림도넛·스탠브루, 탕화쿵푸마라탕, 육회바른연어, 백억커피, 오공김밥, 쿠우쿠우블루레일, 매머드커피, 청년다방·삼덕통닭, 카페051, 푸르파파, 교촌에프앤비 메밀단편, 크린토피아, 커브스, 플레이타임중앙 챔피언
Supply Expo (announced examples): 토스페이×토스플레이스, NAVYS, 발주닷컴, 토더, 위캔솔브, 위킵, 키퍼, CREBEE, 청년배관케어, 게르츠코리아, 코키케어, 화성식품, 델리후레쉬
Rising Star Zone (announced examples): 그리마미술, 하노이 별, 비밀(BE.MEAL)베이커리, 토모텍, 픽시온

Press reports also note a docent tour led by 이홍구 (director of 한국창업트렌드연구소).

At the time of the latest update, the 2026 autumn floor plan and a detailed on-site programme had not yet been published. Check the official website for the latest programme and exhibitor information.

Who This Show Is For

The show is aimed at both business and general visitors, per the About IFS page: aspiring entrepreneurs researching a first franchise, existing franchisees considering a brand change, and franchisors and suppliers looking to meet partners. The stated categories span food and restaurant, cafe and dessert, retail, and service brands.

Registration and Practical Access

Pre-registration: ₩5,000, available until 6PM on 18 October 2026, through the official registration portal.
On-site registration: ₩15,000.
Invitation holders: free entry.
Contact: 02-3017-4002 (Korean) or [email protected].

Pre-registering saves ₩10,000 compared with on-site registration, and closes at 6PM on 18 October 2026.

Getting to the Venue

COEX is served by the subway; nearby stations include Samseong Station (Line 2) and Bongeunsa Station (Line 9), with airport bus, coach and road access also available. The event’s venue and travel page links to COEX’s directions page. For specific exits, parking and other transport details, see COEX’s official directions page.

What Visitors Can Expect (Based on Past Editions)

K-Expos has not attended this show. The notes below are drawn from historical news reports and describe earlier editions only — they are not confirmation of 2026 conditions.

Autumn 2025 (59th edition), 25–27 September 2025: An onsite report by Edaily described a crowded opening day despite the economic downturn, with visitors aged from their 20s to 60s–70s; one visitor was quoted as surprised at the crowd “despite the recession”, and the report noted prospective founders now scrutinise parent-company and monthly-income details more carefully. A Hankyung video report from the same edition described attendees as satisfied with both food and franchise items, and put the scale at 350+ brands and 600+ booths.

Spring 2025 (58th edition), 10–12 April 2025: E-Today reported 350 brands and 730 booths (the largest to that date), a wide visitor age range, long queues at food-tasting booths, and an exhibitor’s note of overseas interest. The Korea Franchise Association’s own press release for that edition stated 350 brands / 730 booths and a claimed ~50,000 visitors per year across editions, and introduced the rule that only companies with an FTC-registered disclosure document (정보공개서) could exhibit in the Brand Expo.

Across these sources, news outlets repeatedly describe the show as Korea’s largest franchise/startup fair (“국내 최대 창업 박람회”). Historical coverage is broadly positive and largely promotional in tone; K-Expos found no independent source reporting notable negative feedback. These observations are historical context only and should not be read as current-year facts.

Local Events During Your Expo Visit

Seoul International Stationery & Office Fair 2026 (문구생활산업전-SISOFAIR 2026)

When: 22–24 October 2026
Where: COEX Hall B, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Why consider it: A business and experience fair in the same venue on the same dates, useful for visitors interested in retail, distribution, promotion and character/licensing business.
Practical detail: 37th edition; free entry with pre-registration (deadline 6PM, 21 October 2026); organised by 한국문구공업협동조합.

Official information: SISOFAIR official site

Bio Healthcare Industry Expo 2026 (2026 바이오헬스케어산업전)

When: 21–23 October 2026
Where: COEX Hall D, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Why consider it: An overlapping industry exhibition for visitors interested in health and healthcare business and distribution.
Practical detail: Open 10:00–17:00. See official event information for admission and registration details.

Official information: Government business-info event brochure (PDF)

ESG-ECO EXPO KOREA 2026

When: 21–23 October 2026
Where: COEX Hall A, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Why consider it: An overlapping exhibition on ESG and eco-friendly business, relevant to franchise and store operations.
Practical detail: Listed on COEX’s official event directory. See official event information for admission details.

Official information: COEX event listing

Event details can change. Confirm opening hours, admission and booking requirements through the official link before visiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When and where is the IFS International Franchise Show 2026?
A. Thursday 22 to Saturday 24 October 2026, at COEX Hall C (3F), 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Hours are 10:00–17:00 daily with last admission at 16:30.

Q. How much does admission cost?
A. Pre-registration costs ₩5,000 (until 6PM on 18 October 2026); on-site registration costs ₩15,000. Invitation holders enter free.

Q. Do I need to register in advance?
A. Advance registration is cheaper (₩5,000 vs ₩15,000 on-site) and is available through the official registration portal until 18 October 2026.

Q. Is the show for business visitors or the general public?
A. It is a B2B and B2C event: both industry professionals and general visitors planning to start a business can attend.

Q. How do I get to COEX?
A. By subway, nearby stations include Samseong Station (Line 2) and Bongeunsa Station (Line 9). See COEX’s official directions page for exits, parking and other transport details.

Q. Is the full exhibitor list and floor plan published?
A. Not at the time of the latest update. The autumn floor plan and a detailed programme were not yet published; announced exhibitor names come from Korean press. Check the official website for the latest information.

Sources and Update Policy

K-Expos is the blog of Korean exhibition columnist K-전시랩. This guide was written from official sources; the author has not attended this event in person.