Schedule

Announcement & Application

Jul. 31 ~ Oct. 7

1st Screening

October

2nd In-depth Screening

October

Announcement of Results

Nov. 2 (Design Day)

Award Ceremony

December

The above schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the host.

Eligibility

Design produced within the last year or confirmed to be released within a year

Categories

Industrial Design Product designs that fall under all industrial categories
ex) Electronics, Appliances, Digital Products, Furniture, Mobility, Living, Lighting, Outdoors, Sports, Healthcare, Industrial Devices, Fashion, Beauty, Food, and Pets.
Communication Design Design with the purpose of communication
ex) Brands, Packaging, Printing, Advertising, Campaigns, Videos, Digital Media, Services, and Experience Design.
Space / Environmental Design Design related to space and composition
ex) Architecture, Interior Design, Displays, The Environment, Public Areas, Landscapes, and Community Design.
Crafts Design Designs with a practical and aesthetic value based on materials
ex) Metal Crafts, Fiber Crafts, Wood Crafts, Ceramics Crafts, and Leather Crafts.
Advanced Design Designs in the research process for mass production. *
Miscellaneous Design Designs with purposes that are not covered in the above-mentioned fields.

Advanced Design : The eligibility criteria for submission(mass production requirement) are waived.

Awards and Prizes

Main Prize
BEST OF BEST
BEST 100
Finalist
Finalist
Special Prize
Designer of the Year

Presented to a designer who has demonstrated outstanding design excellence, innovation, and significant contributions to the advancement of design in 2026.

Design Management Award

Presented to a company, organization, or business unit that has achieved outstanding performance through design-driven management and the strategic integration of design in 2026.

Winner Benefits

Winner Service A

Applicable To Main Prize, Finalist
General Benefits (All Winners) Certificate, yearbook, PIN UP logo usage rights, online exhibition and promotion
Main Award Benefits Signature trophy, winner page (2p) in yearbook
Finalists Benefits Winner page (1p) in yearbook

Winner Service B

Applicable To Designer of the Year, Design Management Award
Services Included A special article(4 pages) and winner page (2p) in yearbook, special Certificate, PIN UP logo usage rights,online exhibition and promotion, special stage at the awards ceremony (Provide presentation opportunities about design intention, promotion)

How to Submit

How to Apply Register online in the website (www.pinup.or.kr)
Application Period 2026. 7. 31 - 10. 7
Contents for Submission
  1. Image

    4 images for a comprehensive understanding of the artwork

    Specifications: Width 190mm x Height 250mm, each image within 1MB, jpg format, RGB mode

  2. Design Description

    Design concept description for the submission

    Maximum Length: 500 characters in Korean, 700 characters in English (including spaces, strictly follow the specified length)

  3. Design Keywords

    Keywords highlighting the values and features of the submission (5 keywords, please provide both in Korean and English)

Since there is no physical evaluation, please provide images that comprehensively represent the artwork for a complete understanding.

The submission information will be used for trophies, awards and yearbook, so please provide accurate details.

Fees

Fees

Stage Submission & First Screening Second Screening Winner Service
Payment Timing Upon Submission Upon Passing the First Screening Upon Final Selection
Fee KRW 200,000 KRW 400,000 Winner service A Winner service B
Main Prize Winner : KRW 600,000
Finalist : KRW 400,000
Special Prize : KRW 600,000

Payment Information

Payment Method Bank Transfer
Payment Account Name of Bank : KEB Hana Bank
Account Name : KIDA
Account Number : 119-910045-57904
Swift Code : KOEXKRSE or KOEXKRSEXXX
Address of Bank : 04523 | 35, EULJI-RO, JUNG-GU, Seoul, South Korea

Submission

Submission pinup@k-ida.kr
Required Documents Business Registration Certificate, Billing Contact Email Address, Preferred Invoice Issue Date

Payment is accepted by bank transfer to the designated account only. Other payment methods are not available.

If no preferred invoice issue date is provided, the invoice will be issued based on the actual payment date.

All applicable fees for screening and winner packages must be paid in full by the designated deadline.

Evaluation Criteria

PIN UP Design Awards evaluates entries based on the following three perspectives:

Good Design

Assess the design in terms of form, function, safety, quality, and commercial aspects. Explain the unique features and completeness of the design from a design perspective.

Design Innovation

Evaluate how the design implements new standards for innovation and proposes groundbreaking value from a design perspective.

Design Impact

Assess the design’s potential contribution to users, the environment, and the future, as well as its ability to generate business outcomes.

Important Notes

Entry Information

  • There is no limit to the number of entries that may be submitted per competition category.
  • The information provided in the submission will be used for all winner services, including trophies, certificates, catalogs, and online exhibitions. Please ensure that all information is accurate.

Submission Policy

  • All submitted materials are non-returnable.
  • If an entry is deemed ineligible during the judging and evaluation process, the Organizer reserves the right to adjust the award category or withhold the award.
  • The number of selected winners may be adjusted based on the quality and quantity of entries received. The Organizer may reduce the number of awards or decide not to present certain awards.
  • If multiple entries are determined to be substantially identical in design, including form, appearance, or presentation, they may be regarded as a single entry regardless of the number of submissions.
  • If issues regarding plagiarism or intellectual property infringement arise after judging, the Award Committee will determine whether the award should be revoked.
  • Any entry containing false or misleading information, or incomplete submission materials, may be disqualified.
  • No revisions or additional materials may be submitted after the entry deadline.
  • The judging schedule, award announcement, ceremony, and all related events are subject to change at the discretion of the Organizer.
  • Certain product entries may be required to undergo product safety certification or quality compliance verification.
  • The Organizer reserves the exclusive right to determine whether an entry proceeds to judging. Withdrawal from the judging process at the entrant's discretion is not permitted, and all applicable fees remain payable.
  • Winning entries of the PIN UP Design Awards may display the official PIN UP Award Logo authorized by the Korea Innovation Design Association for promotional and marketing purposes.

Inquiries

Korea Innovation Design Association