Seoul Meta Week: Building an Owned Conference Over Five Years
Seoul Meta Week is a conference Chris & Partners co-hosts with TV Chosun — not a client project, but an event the agency created and has grown for five consecutive years. In 2026 it ran under the theme "AI Makers Rise" at the COEX Grand Ballroom in Seoul with roughly 2,000 attendees.
Because it is owned rather than delivered for a client, it is the clearest demonstration of what the agency does: program design, speaker curation, and full-scale operation.
Five years
2022 — The Shilla Seoul, October 4–6
Co-hosted by TV Chosun and Chris & Partners, with TokenPost, Crypto Miliar Capital, Fintelli and Metaverse Post as co-organizers. A hybrid event on metaverse, NFTs and Web3 with roughly 1,000 on-site participants. Chris & Partners curated the program and sourced around 100 experts across the main conferences, Blockchain Open Forum and MetaCon 2022.
2023 — COEX Auditorium, June 26–30
Co-hosted by TV Chosun, Chris & Partners and UNOPND. The third edition; MetaCon 2023 ran more than 20 sessions under the theme "Web3 × Metaverse: The Future of Hyperconnection," with 1,500+ attendees.
2024 — COEX Auditorium, June 26–27
Themed "Ride the Waves of Technology," covering AI, Web3, metaverse and AR/VR. 22 sessions, 50 global speakers, approximately 1,500 attendees.
2025 — COEX Auditorium, June 26–27
"Work. System. Intelligence." — the focus shifted from technology itself to the AI strategies and cases actually changing industries and organizations. 21 sessions, 26 global speakers, 1,500+ attendees.
2026 — COEX Grand Ballroom, July 3–4
"AI Makers Rise," positioned as Korea's flagship AI business conference. ~2,000 attendees, 34 global speakers, 40 sessions, 37 countries. Chris & Partners handled program planning, global speaker curation, online and offline promotion, exhibition and networking, and end-to-end production.
What was done differently
The theme moved every year. From metaverse and NFTs in 2022, to technology broadly in 2024, to AI strategy in 2025, to AI business in 2026. Hold on to a theme after its moment passes and the event ends with it. Attendance held and then grew because the subject stayed half a step ahead of the market.
Global speakers were sourced directly. Fifty global speakers in 2024, and 34 speakers with attendees from 37 countries in 2026, came from individual outreach rather than bulk booking. That network is the same one used on client events.
A broadcaster as co-host. Co-hosting with TV Chosun delivered promotional reach — and, just as usefully, credibility during speaker outreach.
The venue followed the audience. The Shilla (2022) → COEX Auditorium (2023–2025) → COEX Grand Ballroom (2026). The room grew after the attendance did, not before.
Why it matters
Running events for clients and owning one are different disciplines. Five years of an owned conference leaves behind:
- A global speaker network built by direct relationship
- Sponsor and exhibitor relationships
- Operating experience at large-scale registration and on-site delivery
- And judgment about subject matter — which topics draw people, and when
That is the asset Chris & Partners brings to client work.
Frequently asked questions
Who organizes Seoul Meta Week?
It is co-hosted by TV Chosun and Chris & Partners. It has run for five consecutive years since 2022, with Chris & Partners responsible for program planning and overall operation.
When and where was Seoul Meta Week 2026?
July 3–4, 2026 at the COEX Grand Ballroom in Seoul, under the theme "AI Makers Rise." It drew roughly 2,000 attendees, with 34 global speakers from 37 countries across 40 sessions.
What is Chris & Partners' role in Seoul Meta Week?
As co-host: program planning, global speaker curation, online and offline promotion, exhibition and networking operations, and end-to-end production.
How has the theme of Seoul Meta Week changed?
From metaverse, NFTs and Web3 in 2022, to technology broadly — AI, Web3, metaverse, AR/VR — in 2024, to AI strategy and organizational change in 2025, to AI business in 2026.
Chris & Partners is an event agency with 15+ years of experience, 250+ events delivered for 150+ clients across 12+ countries and 4 continents. See our work · Get in touch