Cookie Run: Kingdom blends Korean art and game IP in Seoul exhibition
One of Korea’s most successful mobile game franchises is stepping beyond the screen with an exhibition in Seoul’s Insa-dong, blending traditional Korean craftsmanship with game IP as part of a broader push to position itself on the global stage.
Cookie Run, which has amassed roughly 300 million cumulative users worldwide as of 2026, has spent the past two years hosting art collaborations that pair Cookie Run: Kingdom's core characters with Korean artists. Those projects, previously staged separately for 10 of the game’s major characters, are now being brought together for a special showcase opening Friday at Arario Art Center.
"Cookie Run: Kingdom Art Project Legacy of the Kingdom" spans six galleries across floors ranging from ground level to four basement levels, covering approximately 2,840 square meters. Featured works are inspired by the game’s central narrative forces, the Beast Cookies and Ancient Cookies, which anchor the overarching storyline of Cookie Run: Kingdom.
Across Galleries 1 through 5, characters are reimagined through a wide range of traditional Korean art forms, including Korean lantern installations, hwagak (ox-horn inlay), gold leaf imprinting and sand art.
The final space, Gallery 6, is divided into two immersive zones titled Eoullim (Harmony) and Haewon (Release). In Eoullim, visitors watch their own hand-drawn cookies come to life within a folk-painting setting, while Haewon presents a media art installation featuring a hidden character separate from the Beast and Ancient Cookies.
A key interactive element comes in the form of NFC-enabled wristbands distributed to visitors. When tagged at designated points throughout the exhibition, the wristbands trigger synchronized changes in lighting, visuals and sound, activating the surrounding installations.
According to Devsisters, the company behind Cookie Run: Kingdom, the exhibition reflects its broader push to position the game as a representative Korean intellectual property, as the company explores collaborations across multiple facets of Korean culture using its widely popular characters.
“We will make full-scale investments to expand our IP business and step up global activities so that Cookie Run is recognized as Korea’s representative IP — just as Pokemon is synonymous with Japanese IP and Disney with American IP,” Cho Kil-hyeon, CEO of Devsisters, said during a press conference held Thursday.
Devsisters said it will expand the exhibition beyond Seoul to overseas markets with large user bases, starting with the United States, followed by Taiwan, Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia, to spotlight traditional Korean art and strengthen ties with its global fan base.
With international touring in mind from the outset, the company said it designed the exhibition’s media art systems in modular, reusable formats that can be easily transported and reinstalled.
“We have been aggressively investing in and expanding related marketing efforts recently, and this is a critical moment for the business," said Cho.
"Beyond the game itself and upcoming new titles, we hope to pursue cultural expansion so that Cookie Run can become a legacy and asset that looks ahead to the next 100 years. We believe securing a super IP on our own is essential for the future,” he added.
The Seoul exhibition, supported by the Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation, will run through April 12.
Copyright © 코리아헤럴드. 무단전재 및 재배포 금지.