Star-Like, Inc. announced that it will host the large-scale subculture event 'ILLUSTAR FES 11' for two days, from May 23 to 24, at Halls 9B and 10 of KINTEX Exhibition Center II in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do. Now established as one of the largest subculture festivals in Korea, the 11th edition will feature enhanced programming, including newly established dedicated cosplay zones and reading areas for fan-made publications (doujinshi).

The event is expected to be a grand celebration, as it will be held concurrently and adjacent to PlayX4 2026, fostering a major convergence of gaming and subculture fandoms.

The creator market, the heart of the event, will feature approximately 1k booths showcasing a variety of original and derivative merchandise and illustration books. To improve the visitor experience, new exhibition and reading areas have been added to allow attendees to preview works more efficiently.

In the virtual YouTuber sector, Hexia, Celeb, and V-Record will operate individual booths themed around 'May Brides,' while the fandom platform Fancim will host relay fan meetings featuring over 30 VTubers.

The gaming booth lineup is also drawing attention. KONG STUDIOS, Inc. is set to unveil new information about its upcoming title, Guardian Maiden, for the first time at the event. Outerplane and Make Drama: MAD, which is making its first offline appearance ahead of its official launch, will also participate as key exhibitors, hosting a variety of interactive events.

Furthermore, through the first official collaboration with Pixiv, the world's largest creative platform, the Pixiv booth at the venue will distribute 'Pixiv Star' art books to visitors for free.

The stage program is equally robust. Interactive cosplay performances and random play dance sessions—staples of subculture events—will run throughout both days, alongside various artist and creator performances.

On the afternoon of the 24th, the band live concert, returning for the first time since ILLUSTAR FES 7, will feature performances by Togenashi Togeari, Ave Mujica, and anime song cover bands, with a spectacular DJing event serving as the grand finale for the two-day festival.

An official from the ILLUSTAR FES organizing committee stated that they have taken the feedback from the 10th event to heart and have put their full effort into addressing previous operational shortcomings. They added that with improvements such as the dedicated cosplay and reading zones, they aim to deliver a comfortable and high-quality event where both creators and attendees can fully enjoy the festival.