Busan KFA Franchise Fair opens on 12 November with around 100 brands and overseas expansion advice

A franchise fair in Busan will give prospective franchisees a chance to meet franchisors while helping the region’s franchise businesses explore overseas expansion. Busan Metropolitan City announced on 9 November that the 2026 KFA Franchise Fair Busan will run from 12 to 14 November in Hall 3B of BEXCO Exhibition Centre 1. Around 100 brands across foodservice, services, wholesale and retail are expected to take part, with a new programme supporting international expansion introduced this year.

Around 100 brands to offer advice on franchise requirements and investment

The fair is hosted and organised by the Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam branch of the Korea Franchise Association (KFA). Visitors can explore each brand’s entry requirements and investment details, and speak directly with franchisor representatives. Alongside the opening ceremony and brand exhibition, the programme includes business start-up seminars and talks by celebrity chefs. Prospective franchisees can combine time exploring brands with sessions on starting a business.

Participation is not limited to foodservice brands. Service, wholesale and retail businesses are also expected to attend, giving visitors who have yet to choose a business format an opportunity to compare different operating models. Even if a particular menu or shop design catches the eye, consultations should distinguish between the investment required and the conditions involved in running the business.

The presence of around 100 brands does not, however, guarantee the profitability or suitability of any individual franchise. The fair is best used to hear from several franchisors and draw up a shortlist for further investigation. Visitors should organise the information and materials they receive, then review them against their available funds, preferred location and the time they can devote to hands-on management.

It is useful to prepare a consistent set of questions for each brand. These might cover which costs are included in the quoted investment, what additional spending may be needed, and the extent of the franchisor’s support after opening. These are suggested checks to help visitors compare opportunities, not standard terms announced by the organisers.

New international pavilion, strategy briefings and buyer meetings

This year’s new feature is a programme supporting overseas expansion. An international pavilion will introduce overseas franchise brands, alongside briefings on overseas market entry strategies and meetings with overseas buyers. Visitors will therefore be able to explore international brands and discuss expansion abroad as well as seek advice on opening a franchise in South Korea.

The international pavilion and buyer meetings serve different purposes. The pavilion has been presented as a space showcasing overseas franchise brands, while the buyer meetings are intended to provide contacts for participants exploring international expansion. Visitors researching overseas brands and franchisors considering taking their own brands abroad may need to prioritise different sessions and prepare different questions.

Franchisors considering overseas expansion should do more than establish whether a potential partner is interested. They should record which markets and operating models were discussed. Questions about adapting menus or products to local markets, supply arrangements, operational training and each partner’s responsibilities can then be developed in follow-up discussions. These are practical issues to assess regardless of whether a contract is ultimately signed.

It is particularly important to distinguish participation in meetings from actual expansion results. The announcement concerns plans for the pavilion, briefings and buyer meetings; it does not report overseas contracts or store openings. The programme creates new opportunities for the regional franchise community to make contacts, but each franchisor’s prospects will depend on the discussions and subsequent assessment.

Busan Metropolitan City expects the fair to help prospective business owners gather information and local franchise companies explore overseas markets. Visitors can plan around these two aims: individuals preparing to open a franchise can focus on comparing brand-specific terms, while franchisors preparing for international expansion can prioritise strategy briefings and potential partners.

Daily start-up seminars alongside exhibition consultations

Business start-up seminars will run every day from 12 to 14 November, with celebrity chef talks also planned. Rather than filling their schedule solely with stand visits, attendees can combine relevant talks with consultations. Separating the broader topics they want to explore in talks from the brand-specific questions they intend to ask at stands can also make their notes easier to organise.

For prospective franchisees, assessing their own operating circumstances is just as important as hearing a brand’s presentation. Setting out available funds and a preferred outlet format before a consultation will help make questions more specific. Those who have not yet chosen a location or brand could make comparing candidates and collecting further information the goal of their first visit, rather than deciding whether to sign a contract.

If representatives discuss projected sales or costs, visitors should ask how the figures were calculated rather than simply noting the numbers. Understanding the period covered and the assumed outlet conditions will reduce confusion when comparing different brands. Important points made verbally should be flagged for subsequent written confirmation.

General business advice from seminars and talks should also be considered separately from the terms of an individual franchise agreement. The programme offers access to information, but an investment decision requires further checks on the specific brand and premises. Visitors can use initial discussions to narrow down their questions, then request detailed supporting material in follow-up meetings.

Free admission with advance registration by 11 November

Visitors who register through the fair’s website by 11 November can enter free of charge. The event runs from 12 to 14 November in Hall 3B of BEXCO Exhibition Centre 1. Anyone planning to use free admission should note that advance registration closes the day before the fair opens.

Before attending, it is practical to organise a short list of questions around the purpose of the visit. Those considering opening a franchise can focus on investment requirements and operational support, while those exploring overseas expansion can prepare questions about target markets and partnership arrangements. Even when attending several meetings on the same day, visitors should keep each brand’s answers and outstanding questions separate.

The key is to treat the fair less as a chance to see as many brands as possible and more as an opportunity to gather evidence for comparison. Complete advance registration by 11 November, and distinguish between the questions to ask at the event and the documents to review afterwards.