The Creative Brands section of the 2026 Creative Expo Taiwan came to a successful close today (12th). Throughout the event period, massive crowds flooded the venue daily. Even as Typhoon Dolphin struck over the weekend, it failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the public, with long queues persisting through the final day. According to the Ministry of Culture, the total transaction volume for the Creative Brands reached approximately NTD1.6 billion—an increase of NTD1.35 billion compared to last year and a growth rate of 22%—setting new record highs across multiple key metrics, including total floor area, number of participating brands, and booth count.

Throughout the event period, massive crowds flooded the venue daily. Even as Typhoon Dolphin struck over the weekend, it failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the public, with long queues persisting through the final day.

Minister of Culture Li Yuan attended the closing ceremony of "IP-STAR POP PARK" today to announce the results of character IP matchmaking and expo participation, while also touring the Creative Brands area and attending a special screening of the IP-STAR animated series Isle Navigator to cheer on all participating organizations. Li noted that the development of characters and IPs in Taiwan in recent years has been "astonishingly fast, beyond imagination," primarily due to Taiwan's rich historical and cultural depth and its abundant opportunities for cross-domain integration across comics, animation, and film. Simultaneously, Creative Expo Taiwan provides a dynamic stage to showcase these creations to the market and the world. Li mentioned that "IP-STAR POP PARK" originated from the 4-year IP-STAR Program launched in 2024, which comprehensively supports six major cultural and artistic fields. Having witnessed the accelerated progress across these domains under the project, he emphasized, "This program must never end," adding, "Our most dedicated effort right now is preparing for the next 4-year IP-STAR Program."

When discussing IPs, Li humorously shared that he remains a child at heart, admitting, "Whenever I see an IP, I simply can't put it down." He joked that he has already found his next job: creating a "Minister Grandpa" IP. He described this grandpa as someone who is constantly bullied and seems foolish on the surface, but actually possesses extraordinary martial arts skills, leading him to embark on a grand revenge journey with his four grandchildren. "The more I think about it, the more excited I get, because I've already found my future job," Li said. He reflected that participating in Creative Expo Taiwan taught him a great deal, and he will definitely register his own IP for the "IP Business Hunter" course. He noted that while other courses teach people how to create, this is the only one that teaches how to sell an IP, adding, "One day in the future, I will surely sign up with my many IPs."

Minister of Culture Li Yuan visited the 2026 Taiwan Creative Expo brand showcase today. He encouraged the team to make a final push on the closing day and expressed support for the development of a more diverse range of cultural and creative products.

The Ministry of Culture pointed out that based on experience from last year, several optimization measures were implemented for this year's Creative Brands. These included introducing online reservations, a tiered entry system, and a redesigned spatial layout. The online reservation system attracted over 100,000 registrations, achieving a satisfaction rate of over 80%. Compared to the same period last year, visitor entry volume doubled while entry speed sped up significantly, successfully fulfilling the goal of effective crowd management. Furthermore, adjusting entry to different floors increased the likelihood of visitors discovering cultural, creative, and craft products while maintaining smooth traffic flow. This balanced the visitor experience with venue order, allowing more people to spend less time queuing and easily explore brand content in depth.

The 2026 CET introduced online reservations, a tiered entry system, and a redesigned spatial layout. The online reservation system attracted over 100,000 registrations, achieving a satisfaction rate of over 80%. 

The most moving scene at this year's Creative Brands exhibition was seeing visitors reconnect with their youth. "Cathie's Goods," an enduring IP spanning 30 years, made a grand comeback; the 1998 animated film Grandma and Her Ghosts transformed into IP merchandise; and the venerable National Palace Museum infused its brand with new energy by introducing cultural and creative products inspired by the “Tibetan Dragon Buddhist Canon.” Through the platform of Creative Expo Taiwan, many expressed gratitude for the wonderful memories these IPs brought them, while recognizing that great IPs stand the test of time—vividly showcasing the high reach of IP licensing and the endless possibilities of cross-domain applications.

The Ministry of Culture stated that the high popularity and high caliber of the Creative Expo Taiwan Creative Brands were reflected not only in the bustling crowds, but also in attracting industry professionals, domestic and international brands, and professional buyers to network. Industry professional visits exceeded 41,000 person-times—a 46.4% growth compared to last year's 28,000. Additionally, 53 international brands from Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand participated, attracting over 200 domestic and overseas professional buyers (including 80 international buyers coming to Taiwan). This continuously expanded opportunities for international cooperation with Taiwanese original content, successfully facilitating over 640 business matchmaking sessions.

2026 CET attracted 53 international brands from Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand participated, attracting over 200 domestic and overseas professional buyers

The fully upgraded "IP-STAR POP PARK | Fantasy Star Theater" brought together 21 illustration IPs from the second IP-STAR Program, 11 outstanding brand representatives from the first edition, alongside IP-STAR animated anthology projects and free-roaming multi-user VR experiences, exhibiting across more than 40 booths. The theater-style gallery design seamlessly linked character licensing, animation, immersive tech, product development, and brand sales. During the expo, "IP-STAR POP PARK | Fantasy Star Theater" successfully facilitated matchmaking for brand IPs such as Tea Girl, Boom! Boom! Beans, and Kittensisland, securing 41 signed contracts during the event with renowned domestic and international enterprises—a 173% increase over last year's 15 contracts. In total, 88 contracts have been signed under the second IP-STAR Program to date, fully demonstrating the vitality and widespread participation in the IP licensing and cultural & creative brand markets.

2026 CET attracted 53 international brands from Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand participated, attracting over 200 domestic and overseas professional buyers._1

Held concurrently during the exhibition, the "Character IP Forum" and "Creative Brands Forum" focused on key cultural content industry issues, including character IP operations, brand innovation, tech applications, and international markets. Furthermore, over 70 events—including creator autograph sessions, mascot meet-and-greets, cultural lectures, hands-on workshops, and new book launches—drew enthusiastic participation, accumulating over 2,500 total attendees.

Throughout the event period, massive crowds flooded the venue daily. Even as Typhoon Dolphin struck over the weekend, it failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the public, with long queues persisting through the final day._1

The Ministry of Culture stated that with the successful conclusion of this year's Creative Brands, Creative Expo Taiwan will continue to deepen cross-domain collaboration and international expansion for original Taiwanese IPs and creative brands, bringing more Taiwanese original content into global markets. Meanwhile, the Cultural Curation area at the Kong Zong Cultural Base will continue running through August 31, and the public is warmly invited to visit.