The Gyeongbuk International AI·Metaverse Film Festival is set to make waves from September 3 to 5, 2026, as it returns for its third edition across the cities of Gumi, Pohang, and Gyeongsan in South Korea’s Gyeongsangbuk-do province. This year’s event, announced on August 18 at the provincial office, is already shaping up to be a milestone, not just for the region but for the global AI and digital content industries.
According to Daegu Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, the 2026 festival has seen a dramatic surge in both scale and international interest. Submissions soared to 3,403 entries from 97 countries—more than triple last year’s total of 1,075. Even more striking, the number of international submissions skyrocketed from just 72 in 2025 to an astonishing 1,587 in 2026, reflecting a more than 20-fold increase. This leap is widely credited to expanded partnerships with overseas institutions, including those in the United States, China, and Japan, as reported by Dongponews.
The festival’s organizers, including over 100 city and county officials and committee members, gathered at the province’s multipurpose hall to unveil the event’s main programs and long-term vision. The aim is clear: to transform the festival from a regional cultural celebration into a global industrial platform that links AI, VFX (visual effects), gaming, and virtual convergence. Governor Lee Cheol-woo emphasized this ambition, stating, “We will expand the festival into the world’s largest international AI film festival and develop it as a global platform for K-Culture, including K-food, building an industrial ecosystem to lead the global AI content industry.”
This year’s festival is distinctly multi-faceted, with each host city focusing on a specialized area of the rapidly evolving digital content landscape. Gumi will host the AI Video Contest, spotlighting the intersection of artificial intelligence and virtual convergence industries. The contest’s 39 finalists will share a prize pool of 100 million KRW, with additional support for overseas expansion—an initiative designed to propel local talent onto the global stage.
Pohang takes center stage for the AI Art Tech Awards, which will recognize excellence in film, drama, and advertising that leverages AI and VFX technologies. Outstanding works and production teams will be honored with a total of 18 million KRW in prizes, and winning production companies will gain coveted access to the Mungyeong Virtual Studio, a resource that could be pivotal for their future creative endeavors.
Meanwhile, Gyeongsan is gearing up for the Mini Game Contest, where 90 participating companies will compete, and eight top teams will be selected to receive a combined 15 million KRW in awards. This contest is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the competitiveness of local game companies and support their expansion abroad, according to Yonhap News TV.
The festival isn’t just about recognition and awards; it’s also a hub for business and innovation. A robust business program includes an AI innovation technology and investment presentation, a 150 billion KRW K-Culture content fund investment consultation, and a game company export consultation featuring 20 overseas buyers, including industry giants like ByteDance and Sega. These initiatives are designed to foster investment, production, and export opportunities for creators and companies, connecting them with new markets and collaborators.
Exhibitions and experience programs will showcase the latest in AI technology, with participation from 34 advanced companies—up from 23 last year. Local and metropolitan AI firms will display their innovations, while game companies and regional universities will collaborate on a game exhibition and experience hall, offering hands-on opportunities for attendees to engage with cutting-edge developments.
The festival’s global credentials are further bolstered by the participation of internationally renowned experts. Dr. Choi Byung-guk of KAIST, known for his work on the visual effects of the film Avatar 2, will join Son Seung-hyun of Westworld—acclaimed for his work on Squid Game—and Liu Chunqiang, head of the Beijing Game Industry Association, to discuss the future of AI, VFX, and the gaming industry. Their presence underscores the festival’s growing status as a nexus for thought leadership in digital content.
Gyeongsangbuk-do’s ambitions don’t stop at this year’s event. The province plans to expand the festival’s cooperation network to Europe and, in the long run, hopes to attract participation from over 150 countries, cementing its place as a world-class AI content event. The strategy includes connecting contest-discovered creators and companies with investment, production, and export opportunities, as well as strengthening practical talent development and R&D-industry-academia cooperation through local universities and enterprises.
Governor Lee Cheol-woo summed up the region’s vision, saying, “We will expand the festival into the world’s largest international AI film festival and develop it as a global platform for K-Culture, including K-food, building an industrial ecosystem to lead the global AI content industry.” The festival, he noted, is not just about showcasing talent but about building the infrastructure and networks necessary to make Gyeongsangbuk-do a leader in the global AI content sector.
Beyond the headline events, the festival will also feature screenings of excellent works, hands-on AI technology demonstrations, and opportunities for networking between creators, investors, and buyers. These activities are designed to turn the festival into a true platform for industry collaboration and growth, where creative and business opportunities go hand in hand.
As the countdown to September begins, anticipation is building—not just among participants and organizers, but among a global audience eager to see what the future of AI-powered creative content looks like. The explosive growth in submissions and international participation is a testament to the festival’s rising influence and the rapid evolution of the AI and metaverse content industries.
With its strategic focus on industry convergence, international collaboration, and nurturing both creative and business talent, the Gyeongbuk International AI·Metaverse Film Festival is poised to become a cornerstone of the global digital content calendar. For Gyeongsangbuk-do and for the world, this is one event that’s not to be missed.