Devsisters' Cookie Run IP will host a special exhibition, 'Cookie Run: In Search of the Lost Heritage,' at Dondeokjeon in Deoksugung Palace.

This special exhibition, co-hosted by Devsisters and the Korea Heritage Service to commemorate the 2nd National Heritage Day, will run from December 9 to March 1, 2026. It marks the first time both the first and second floors of Dondeokjeon—covering about 250 pyeong—will be fully opened to the public.

The exhibition was organized to highlight the value of national heritage and convey a timeless message of hope, combining the Korean Empire's unfinished dream of establishing an independent modern nation with the core value of courage from Cookie Run.

▲ Dondeokjeon at Deoksugung Palace, where the exhibition is being held

Fusing the Value and Imagination of Cookie Run with History

▲ Devsisters CEO Cho Gil-hyun

Cho Gil-hyun, CEO of Devsisters, said, “This is an unprecedented project where national heritage, culture, history and imagination come together.”" He added, “Cookie Run began with the story of brave cookies escaping the Witch’s Oven, a narrative that resonated across generations and borders,” Cho said. This value served as the greatest inspiration for organizing the exhibition.

At the heart of the exhibition is the history of Deoksugung Palace and the Korean Empire. CEO Cho Gil-hyun stated, "The Korean Empire is an unfinished dream embodying the strong and courageous spirit of our ancestors who sought to build an independent nation and achieve prosperity and military strength amidst the encroachment of powerful nations." He added, "We wanted to share this with visitors because we believed the cookies' courage in escaping the oven was intrinsically linked to the values and essence of the Korean Empire."

Devsisters said it organized the exhibition as a way to give back for the long-standing support of Cookie Run fans while contributing to national heritage preservation. Furthermore, Devsisters artists, including CIPO Lee Eun-ji, participated in creating imaginative illustrations to realize and present the unfulfilled dreams of the Korean Empire to visitors.

Among them, the large imaginative painting depicting Seoul expressed the appearance of Hanyang within the Four Great Gates and the currently developed Seoul. It features numerous 'cookies' including the damaged Four Great Gates and Four Small Gates, as well as landmarks representing modern Seoul, serving to resonate with visitors and promote Korea's cultural and national heritage globally.

▲ Seoul Depicted on a Giant Media Wall

CEO Cho Gil-hyun stated, "This exhibition goes beyond simply presenting past heritage in an entertaining way; it plays a crucial role at an inflection point where the past, present, and future connect. I hope people can experience how Cookie Run characters can link memories through various content."

He further stated that character IPs can connect diverse people and experiences, expressing hope for continued interest. He added, "I believe Cookie Run can encompass all generations and become a vital character asset, linking past heritage to future development."

▲ CEO Cho Gil-hyun introduces the Cookie Run game produced for the exhibition

Imaginary Paintings and Restored Great Seal of Korea: Cookie Run Special Exhibition

▲ Intro video signaling the start of the exhibition

The exhibition was designed to be approachable and immersive while fully utilizing the Cookie Run IP. Visitors will embark on a journey to discover national heritage sites, from Junghwajeon Hall to Dondeokjeon and Seokjojeon Hall, through the cookies' adventure starting at Hwangudan.

Four Cookie characters serve as guides through the exhibition, offering audio docent narration. Visitors can view imaginative artworks created by over 20 Devsisters artists, as well as four collaborative pieces with holders of national intangible cultural heritage. The lost Great Seal of the Korean Empire was also restored by Devsisters through collaboration with a national intangible cultural heritage holder.

In addition, the museum features a 27m LED media wall, the first of its kind in a domestic museum, providing an intense immersive experience, and a newly developed Cookie Run game allows visitors to experience the exhibition even more engagingly.

This exhibition aims to reinterpret the essential function and heritage value of imperial artifacts through the journey of Brave Cookie and friends, who follow the footsteps of the Korean Empire as it pursued its dream of national prosperity and military strength, rather than dwelling on the painful events that occurred at Deoksugung Palace.

▲ Special Exhibition Where History and Imagination Converge

The special exhibition will be held throughout the first and second floors of Dondeokjeon. On the first floor, visitors can view a massive media wall expressed with a 27m LED, while the second floor consists of the main exhibition space, a merchandise shop, and a game experience zone.

The five-part exhibition follows Brave Cookie and friends as they search for the unfulfilled dream of Emperor Gojong. It features three 'Cookie Run' imaginative artworks, over 40 artifacts, and special creations for the exhibition by five holders of National Intangible Cultural Heritage: the Great Seal of Korea, a sundial, a fan, knots, and musical instruments.

Visitors entering the second-floor gallery are greeted with an introductory video featuring the Cookie characters. Afterwards, they can scan a QR code on the wall to access a 50-minute audio docent tour of the cookies, exhibition information, and more.

▲ QR codes can connect to audio docents for the cookies, among other things

Each of the newly created works, which blend the Cookie Run IP with imaginative illustrations and craftsmanship, holds a very special meaning. The first imaginative illustration, 'Deoksugung Palace, The Emperor's Dream Reborn,' restores the original appearance of Deoksugung Palace as it would have been if it had not experienced the Japanese colonial period, along with the imperial palace envisioned by Emperor Gojong, by adding imagination to historical records. It also depicts cookies living throughout Deoksugung Palace.

Celebratory Ceremony, Opening a New Era' reinterprets the large-scale national celebratory ceremony, which ultimately could not be held, through the sensibility of Cookie Run, depicting it as a five-panel folding screen. The aim was to meticulously authenticate and express historically significant artifacts and architectural structures, and characters from Deoksugung Palace created by Devsisters can also be seen.

The third imaginative artwork, 'The Undying Light of Hope,' is a piece created by over 20 Devsisters artists, depicting an imagined Seoul that achieved modernization and national prosperity without experiencing the Japanese colonial period. It is displayed double-sided, with separate renditions of Seoul's day and night, allowing viewers to discover cookies within the landmarks of major Seoul areas. CEO Cho Gil-hyun stated, "We strived to create a meaningful map of Seoul by capturing both the actual appearance of Seoul and a reinterpreted version of it."

▲ First Imaginative Painting: 'Deoksugung Palace, The Emperor's Dream Reborn'

▲ Second Imaginary Painting: 'Celebratory Ceremony, Opening a New Era'

▲ Third Concept Art: 'The Undying Light of Hope' Day

▲ And Night

The works created with national intangible heritage artisans include the 'Yundo' of Millennial Tree Cookie, the 'Seonja' of Wind Archer Cookie, the 'Maedeup' of Okchun Cookie, the 'Pyeongyeong' of Brave Cookie, and the 'Great Seal of Korea' restored by master artisan Kim Young-hee. These are utilized by the Cookies as weapons to protect lost national heritage, employing traditional techniques facing the risk of discontinuation.

The restored Great Seal of Korea, displayed in its own space, was recreated by master artisan Kim Young-hee. The Great Seal of Korea was produced in 1897 with the proclamation of the empire, but its whereabouts became unknown during the Korean War, leaving no physical artifact remaining. Devsisters funded the restoration and donated Korea’s first recreated version of the lost Great Seal.

▲ A collaboration with National Intangible Cultural Heritage artisans, Wind Archer Cookie's 'Seonja'

▲ 'Yoon-do' of Millennial Tree Cookie

▲ Okchun Cookie's 'Knot'

▲ Brave Cookie's 'Pyeongyeong'

▲ And the 'Great Seal of Korea' restored by Master Kim Young-hee

The final exhibition space features media art depicting the Jeongipumsong pine tree in Boeun, Chungbuk, alongside Millennial Tree Cookie. The artwork expresses the Millennial Tree Cookie reviving Jeongipumsong, showcasing a beautiful blend of game and natural heritage over a total of four minutes.

Devsisters signed an MOU with the Korea Heritage Service in 2023 to promote national heritage and support the repatriation of overseas heritage, and has since provided various promotional and support activities.

▲ Jeongipumsong Pine Tree Expressed Through Media Art

▲ Imperial Seal Produced as Merchandise

▲ And the Imaginary Celebratory Ceremony Acrylic Stand

▲ You can also play the Cookie Run game that follows the exhibition

Q&A

▲ Devsisters CEO Cho Gil-hyun, Curator Kwak Hee-won

Q. What was impressive and what was challenging while preparing for this exhibition?

Kwak Hee-won, Curator: "Connecting Cookie Run and national heritage was not easy, and that was the most challenging part. However, my sole intention was to convey national heritage in a familiar way through the Cookie Run IP. We started with the idea that if we could use Cookie Run as a friend to introduce what national heritage is, the exhibition itself would be meaningful. The synergy created during the collaboration seems to have resulted in a rich and complete exhibition."

Cho Gil-hyun: Connecting modern character IPs with ancient traditional culture and history might seem difficult at first glance. Initially, there were indeed difficulties. However, Devsisters has been engaged in various heritage-related projects since last year, consistently pursuing activities such as art collaborations. This time, due to the larger scale, it was challenging to ensure historical accuracy, meaning, and experience. Nevertheless, we overcame these difficult missions together through collaboration.

The exhibition is expected to serve as a major turning point in Cookie Run’s brand expansion. Furthermore, it could serve as an important signal for the widespread promotion of national heritage and Korean culture. Devsisters and Cookie Run originated from games, but they are expanding their business with the goal of becoming an IP that transcends games to become a cultural phenomenon. They are investing in and expanding into almost every business sector possible with character IP, beyond just new game releases. Starting with this exhibition, they plan to introduce a wider range of experiences and businesses in the future.

Q. Has the Cultural Heritage Administration achieved different results from previous collaborations or promotions, and are there global expectations? Does Devsisters plan to utilize this in a game?

Kwak Hee-won: I understand that the previous collaboration between the Korea Heritage Service and Devsisters did not directly translate into visitor experiences. However, thanks to the MOU, the ability to open the entire Dondeokjeon building and provide the experience itself seems to be a significant achievement.

Cho Gil-hyun:I believe many people will be interested because it's an unprecedented experience for Korea as a whole. We held a small exhibition during an art collaboration, and over 110,000 people visited in just one month. I think the Cookie Run IP power will be beneficial to the initiatives of the Korea Heritage Service. Cookie Run was also included among the trend keywords for 2025 in the United States. I believe the Cookie Run IP will showcase something beyond just cute characters.

Additionally, there is a card in the game that was a collaboration with artist Heukyo-seok last year. It features Korean traditional attire, and this design was also applied as a Skin in the Cookie Run game. We believe that collaborations with the Cultural Heritage Administration in this manner can connect with games, generate user interest, and allow Cookie Run to contribute to the development and transmission of Korean culture.

Q. We are curious about the reason why Cookie Run promotes its game through cultural or national heritage.

Cho Gil-hyun: There are many ways to promote game and character IPs, and Devsisters collaborates and partners with a wide variety of brands. Nevertheless, we believed that collaboration with national heritage and cultural heritage was particularly important. Although traditional culture is considered "old" by current standards, I believe it represents the hottest trends of its time that have survived and continued. I think the same applies to the culture we enjoy and appreciate today. I believe that experiences and values that are loved and endure over time can be connected. Therefore, I think collaboration with traditional culture aligns well with the philosophy of Cookie Run.

Cho said he hopes Korea’s cultural appeal will continue to grow as its heritage gains global recognition. As I pondered how the world could be more enjoyable, I believe this collaboration with traditional culture came about.

Q. Will the collaboration with national heritage yield meaningful results in the growth or expansion of the Cookie Run universe?

Cho Gil-hyun: We are keenly feeling this through our collaborations. Many people truly love traditional culture and heritage. As a result, our activities are generating very positive responses on social media and in communities, and we are receiving significant support from fans.
We feel it provides practical assistance in business expansion. Although we started with games, we are preparing for business expansion beyond that, so a positive company image and IP are also important. When sincere efforts are conveyed, positive results are achieved. As a game company, there are many twists and turns. Nevertheless, when engaging in activities related to traditional culture or heritage, there is often a positive response. The company said the cultural collaboration is already producing strong brand and business synergy.