seoul convetion bureau

STO offers “special support” for mid-to-large MICE events such as the League of Legends World Championship

A total of 18,000 attendees visited the World Championship final... Seoul, a pilot operation for international events

Support for foreign MICE participants including hanbok experience, Cheongwadae tour, and experiential booths

“Beginning with the League of Legends World Championship, MICE support to be broadened through a range of international events”

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) managed a booth offering a Seoul tourism experience during the 2023 League of Legends (LoL) World Championship, Worlds Fan Fest (WFF), from November 16 to 19 at Gwanghwamun Square, showcasing the attractions of Seoul tourism to thousands of participants.

The League of Legends World Championship, held every year by Riot Games, stands as the most extensive e-sports tournament. Embraced by gaming enthusiasts, it garnered significant acknowledgment, drawing 18,000 attendees exclusively for the finals at the Gocheok Sky Dome on the 19th. WFF is organizing preliminary celebrations leading up to the World Championship finals, including a four-day live concert, a viewing party for the finals, fan engagement activities, and promotional booths sponsored by various companies.

Throughout the tournament, the STO managed experiential booth that provided diverse entertainment choices, including hanbok experiences, photo sessions, traditional Korean games like ddakji-chigi and lucky draw activities for international visitors. Additionally, the STO organized visits to Seoul's iconic tourist destinations (Gyeongbokgung Palace, N Seoul Tower, Some Sevit, DDP) and social media events, aiming to enhance the enjoyment of Seoul tourism for foreign participants. Over the four-day event, more than 2,500 attendees participated in the Seoul experience booth.

As part of a pilot initiative, the city the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the STO extended support to the LoL World Championship and have future plans to incrementally broaden their assistance to encompass MICE events. Alongside the LoL World Championship, they endorsed a total of 13 international conferences this year, such as AdAsia 2023 (4,000 attendees) and the World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics (2,000 attendees). For these selected international conferences, they curated Seoul tourism programs to allow foreign participants to explore the city's allure during non-official hours through hanbok experiences, tours to Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Cheongwadae in the “Traditional Course,” as well as visits to Bugaksan Mountain and the Seoul K-Medi Center in the “Hiking and Wellness Tourism Course”.

The criteria for selecting supported events involve international conferences with more than 300 foreign participants or government-sponsored international events hosted or organized by the city of Seoul. Considerations include various factors such as the number of participants, event duration, and an assessment of the economic impact. Ki Yon Kil, the President and CEO of the STO, stated, “Beginning with the LoL World Championship, our aim is to gradually broaden the range of MICE support to include international events, with a focus on advancing and improving programs for attracting and hosting MICE activities.”