KOREA VISIT · ICML 2026
A team new to Seoul filled a room with 750 people
COEX, Seoul, Korea · 2026.07.06 – 07.11
750+
3 days
7 weeks
Context
ICML sits alongside NeurIPS and ICLR as one of the three major machine learning conferences. The 43rd edition ran at COEX in Seoul in 2026 — the first time it had been held in Korea — drawing over 8,000 researchers and AI companies from more than 60 countries.
A global AI semiconductor company decided to host its own side reception on the evening of July 7, the first day of the main conference — with no office and no one on the ground in Korea.
How we did it?
3
Venues compared
Shortlisted and inspected near COEX
1
Venue secured
Contracted within walking distance of COEX
4
Operations
Decor, catering, AV, and on-site staffing
750+
Guests hosted
Reception and three-day pop-up combined
| Item | Detail | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Venue research | Three walkable options compared (gastropub · café · dining) | May 2026 |
| Site inspection | Visited each venue, checked floor plan, AV, and flow, shared photos | May 2026 |
| Venue contracted | Exclusive use secured, 18:00–22:00 | Jun 2026 |
| Catering | 29 menu options reviewed, dinner set | Jun 2026 |
| Decor and staffing | Design approved and produced, crew placed on the day | Jun–Jul 2026 |
| Café pop-up | Nearby café booked for three days, dedicated area open throughout | Jul 7–9, 2026 |
The Result
750+
Total attendees
the opening-night reception plus the three-day pop-up
3 days
Branded space
a nearby café held as a dedicated area, Jul 7–9
1
No local presence
started with no office and no staff in Korea, and still delivered
A team that didn't know where to start looking for a venue welcomed 750 people beside COEX on the opening night.
“We knew very little about the Korean market, and had no idea where to begin — from finding a venue to running the event itself.”
Team Member, Global AI Semiconductor Company Hosted an in-person event in Korea during ICML
Story
“A team new to Seoul filled a room with 750 people”
With no office and no one on the ground in Korea, they welcomed 750 people beside COEX on the opening night.
“We didn't know where to start”
“We knew very little about the Korean market, and had no idea where to begin — from finding a venue to running the event itself.”
The conference ran six days at COEX in Seoul. More than 8,000 people came from over 60 countries, and it was the first time Korea had hosted it. They decided to run their own reception on the opening night — with no office and no local staff.
“We walked the area around COEX ourselves”
Three venues went head to head. Rather than choosing from documents, we walked the area to check the routes, then sent photos and floor plans so the decision could be made together.
The pick was somewhere you could walk to. An evening only fills up if people leaving the venue aren't worn out getting there.
“We chose from 29 menu options”
Once the venue was set, the work was execution. Twenty-nine catering options went into building the dinner, decor was approved and produced, and crew was placed for the day itself.
It didn't stop at the reception. For three days of the conference, a café ran as a dedicated brand space so people could drop in outside the evening.
“Opening night: 750 people”
“It only sank in after it was over. We started without knowing a single person in Korea, and the room was full.”
Their words afterwards: hands-on support at every step, even before arriving, was what made a good event possible.
A team that didn't know where to start looking for a venue welcomed 750 people beside COEX on the opening night — having started with nothing in Korea at all.
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