What Is G-STAR, and When Is It?

G-STAR is Korea's international game exhibition, run by the Korea Association of Game Industry. It fills BEXCO, Busan's exhibition and convention center, for one long weekend each November. Publishers bring games that haven't come out yet, players line up for hands-on demos, creators stream from the floor, and the plaza outside turns into a cosplay meetup. This is its 22nd year, under the theme Expand Your Horizons.

The event runs from Wednesday, November 18, to Sunday, November 22, 2026, but most visitors only need the last four days. The Korea Game Awards open the week on the 18th, and on the same day an online showcase called G-STAR Premiere introduces the games on display. The public exhibition, which the organizers call BTC, runs from the 19th to the 22nd. The business exhibition for the industry, BTB, runs from the 19th to the 21st.

The main sponsor this year is Crack, an AI story platform, the first time a company from outside the game industry has taken the role. The key visual is drawn by Lee Dong-geon, the webtoon artist behind Yumi's Cells.

How Do You Buy G-STAR Tickets?

Public tickets are sold only online and only in advance. There is no ticket booth at BEXCO. Each ticket is good for one specific day, and you can buy up to two per person per day. Sales for a given day close at midnight the night before, and the last day to buy is Saturday, November 21, for a Sunday visit. You book through the official ticket page with a G-STAR account, and the purchase is processed by the ticketing site Ticketlink.

If you're coming from Seoul for the day, Korail sells a G-STAR package (Korean) that bundles a KTX ticket to Busan with a G-STAR entry ticket, with the return train optional. It starts at 57,700 won, and bookings close at midnight on Sunday, November 15. There is also a special pass sold through the resale platform KREAM that comes with official merchandise. The Overwatch finals in the Auditorium need their own ticket.

On opening day, Thursday, November 19, the public halls open at 11 a.m. On every day, ticket checks end at 5 p.m. and last entry is at 5:30 p.m. Cancellation fees depend on how close you cancel to your visit date, so pick your day before you pay.

How to Get to BEXCO from Seoul, Busan Station and Gimhae Airport

BEXCO sits in Centum City in Haeundae-gu, on the east side of Busan, a short ride from Haeundae Beach. Two subway stations on Busan Metro Line 2 serve it, Centum City and BEXCO, and the Donghae Line commuter train also stops at a BEXCO station. Exhibition Center 1, where the biggest booths are, is a short walk from Centum City Station.

From Seoul

The KTX from Seoul Station to Busan Station takes around two and a half hours, and trains run from early morning. On a G-STAR weekend, book early, because the Busan-bound trains fill up. Our guide to booking the KTX as a foreigner walks through the apps and passes.

From Busan Station

Take Metro Line 1 toward Nopo and change at Seomyeon to Line 2 toward Jangsan. Get off at Centum City or BEXCO. Allow about 45 minutes to an hour door to door.

From Gimhae International Airport

Take the Busan-Gimhae Light Rail to Sasang and change to Line 2 toward Jangsan, then ride to Centum City. It's a long ride across the city, so allow at least an hour. If you land in the evening, staying near Centum City or Haeundae puts you a few stops from the doors the next morning.

What's On at G-STAR This Year?

Exhibition Center 1 holds six booths of more than 100 spaces each, the most the hall can fit: Crack, Krafton, HoYoverse, Google Play, Webzen and Team42.

• Krafton, at its tenth G-STAR in a row, is bringing five games. Its PUBG booth is built around the in-game collaboration with the K-pop group IVE, with a mansion set inspired by "LOVE DIVE," crossbow target shooting, keycap keyring making and photo cards. Visitors can also play the new Tugwi class in TARAE: The Unbound for the first time, try Age Twisters in two-player co-op, and see Waltz and Jam and Overgeared Hero.
• HoYoverse returns to G-STAR for the first time in four years, with Zenless Zone Zero, Honkai: Nexus Anima and Petit Planet on its exhibit list.
• NetEase Games shows Sea of Remnants in Exhibition Center 1 and has a second brand zone in Exhibition Center 2.
• Also in Exhibition Center 1, the official exhibitor list includes Bandai Namco with SD Gundam G Generation Eternal, Ironmace with Dark and Darker, and peropero with Muse Dash 2.

The first floor of Exhibition Center 2 is new this year as the G-STAR Global Game Showcase. Koei Tecmo has hands-on stations for Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember and Atelier Karia, plus Team NINJA's Nioh 3. Sega is showing Total War: Warhammer 40,000 for the first time in Korea, along with Crazy Taxi: World Tour and Football Manager 27. NetEase brings Once Human and the open-world martial arts game Where Winds Meet. CD Projekt Red has a space for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077, including a showcase of the Korean voice version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past.

The same floor has the G-STAR Indie Showcase 2.0: Galaxy, about 250 booths from 106 developers, including a publisher zone with Devolver Digital. Hyundai Motor holds the Hyundai N Virtual Cup Grand Finals there, and the Korea Creative Content Agency runs a game culture festival hall. Over in the Auditorium, the Overwatch Champions Series Asia Stage 3 Grand Final 2026 runs from November 20 to 22.

Tips for a Good Day at G-STAR

Pick your day first. Saturday and Sunday draw the biggest crowds, and the plaza fills with lines before the doors open. If you can come on Thursday or Friday, you'll spend less of the day queuing. Opening day starts later, at 11 a.m., the morning of the opening ceremony.

• Arrive before opening and head straight for the one demo you care about most. Waits at the popular booths grow fast once the doors open.
• Booths run stamp events and goods giveaways. Keep your phone charged, since many need an app sign-in or a social post.
• Cosplay is part of the fun, but the organizers can turn away items they consider dangerous or costumes that break public rules.
• Food trucks set up in the outdoor parking lot, and the Centum City department stores next door have food halls if you want a seat.
• Late November in Busan is cool and windy by the water. A light padded jacket is enough for the queue.

G-STAR also makes a good anchor for a weekend in Busan. Haeundae Beach and the coastal walks are a few stops away; our Busan winter travel guide has ideas for the rest of the trip. And if the show leaves you wanting to play, a Korean PC bang is the most local way to do it.