The organisers of AGF, the Korean anime and games festival, posted a 15-second teaser for the 2026 edition to the festival's X account on 6 October. A small note on screen says it was made with AI, and fans and online communities reacted with criticism.
The clip has the mascot Shaya looking out over the venue and saying she hopes to meet fans there. The festival runs 4–6 December at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 1 in Ilsan, with ticket reservations and the first official merchandise due on 14 October. The post also started a lucky draw of one-day tickets for commenters.
Still from the official AGF teaser posted to the festival's X account
AGF · Image: Inven Global
Fans argue that an event for animation and games, whose audience tends to dislike AI, should not have used it, and some resent it given ticket prices. Critics say attendees and secondary creators prize handmade art and worry that AI lowers the barrier to entry and undercuts their work. Neither report found a response from the organisers.
The reaction is sharper because at the 2025 press conference the committee promised a human-centred festival, even while calling AI an inevitable trend. The festival passed 100,000 attendees for the first time last year, and major participating companies have yet to be announced.
Sources · 2