Hong Kong Hosts Con-Con 2026, Celebrating Creativity and IP
Hong Kong recently welcomed a new cultural event that has captured the attention of fans, cosplayers, and industry professionals alike. The two-day Con-Con Hong Kong 2026, held at AsiaWorld-Expo, showcased an array of intellectual property (IP) exhibitions, music performances, licensing showcases, and business opportunities. Visitors flocked to the event, eager to explore pop culture exports like the iconic Godzilla franchise as well as local designs and trademarks.
Long queues formed at various booths, where attendees stocked up on exclusive merchandise and took pictures of the latest figurine designs. The event provided a platform for both international and local brands to connect with fans and showcase their creativity.
The significance of IP in Hong Kong’s economy was highlighted during the opening ceremony, where Undersecretary for Commerce and Economic Development Bernard Chan Pak-li noted that Hong Kong ranked sixth globally in IP rights according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025. He emphasized the city’s commitment to transforming its unique strengths into a world-class ecosystem where IP is protected, valued, and financed with confidence.
Intellectual property—encompassing trademarks, patents, designs, and copyrights—has been a key focus in recent government initiatives. In February, it was mentioned in the budget as part of broader efforts to develop higher value-added industries. According to the Intellectual Property Department, IP-intensive industries contributed 33% of the city’s GDP and 29% of annual total employment in 2023.
A Vision for Hong Kong’s IP Ecosystem
Lovinia Chiu Siu-yin, founder and CEO of Medialink Group, the event’s organizer, shared her vision for Con-Con Hong Kong. She stated that it took 1.5 years of planning to bring the event to life. Chiu estimated that the festival’s musical performances attracted over 10,000 attendees, with visitors coming from Thailand, Singapore, Korea, Japan, and Malaysia.
She also noted that 63 out of 85 exhibitors were Hong Kong-based brands. “Con-Con is not just an event or a project; this is my own vision that Hong Kong people can create our own IP and this IP can travel,” Chiu said. Her next goal is to bring Hong Kong’s IP to Thailand.
Con-Con, short for “Convention for Connection,” offers immersive experiences, games, a marketplace, and food and drink offerings all connected through IP. It serves as a hub for creators, fans, and industry professionals to engage and collaborate.
One of the standout exhibits at the event was the Godzilla section, which traced the monster’s evolution through the decades. A booth from the Hong Kong brand MechNoiz Toys featured a “Burning Godzilla” soft vinyl figure based on the 1995 film, along with Godzilla-printed towels and tote bags. The brand secured licensing rights for established characters, including Godzilla and Japanese classic animation Neon Genesis Evangelion, and redesigned them into soft vinyl figures known as “sofubi.”
Founder Aaron Liu shared that visitors had “pretty good responses” so far, as the booth served as an effective platform to notify fans of new design launches. “There is room for creativity in the process of redesigning and reinterpreting characters with an established fan base while considering manufacturing techniques,” he said. “It is very fun.”
Local IPs Make Their Mark
Among the Hong Kong IPs showcased at the event was the animated full-feature film Another World. The production won a Golden Horse Award for best animated feature in 2025 and was the second-highest-grossing Hong Kong-made film that same year.
Visitor Ben Ng, who works in the hotel industry, was drawn to the film’s booth, where he used a coin-operated toy vending machine to collect capsule toys based on the film’s five characters. The 25-year-old said he already got eight capsules in exchange for collecting four of the main protagonists and was keen to secure the remaining one. “The plot of the film was enticing and really touched me—I watched it four times,” Ng said. “It was rare to finally see an [animated] film of our own come to light.”
Ng also expressed excitement about a performance by the five-member group who were the voices for the Japanese rock band Togenashi Togeari from the anime series Girls Band Cry.
A visitor from Japan, who gave his surname as Takahashi, saw business prospects in the city and planned to return on Sunday. “I heard many people will visit here, and many like Japanese IPs, so I feel there can be more potential in Hong Kong,” he said.
Vivian Lam, chief marketing officer of Tadaland, a Hong Kong brand that pairs animal characters with 16 personality prototypes referencing the MBTI test, said the long queues at their booth were “out of expectations.” “Many visitors loved MBTI, did the quiz and came to our booth, wanting to check out the animal corresponding to their personality type,” she said. “The booth gives us more exposure aside from our social media page.”
Con-Con Hong Kong 2026 continues to highlight the growing importance of IP in Hong Kong’s creative and economic landscape, offering a vibrant space for innovation, collaboration, and celebration of local and global talent.
