2026 Korea Burger Championship Kicks Off in February
Creatrip Team
7 months ago
Melting Soul, sponsored by Samsung Welstory and the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), will host the 2026 Korea Burger Championship (KBC) starting February to find Korea’s top burger and select a national team for the World Food Championships (WFC). Designed as a business incubator to help Korean food brands go global, the contest follows WFC rules and requires use of US beef and US bacon as mandatory ingredients. Open to independent operators, franchise brands, and aspiring entrepreneurs, all entrants receive a free starter pack (8kg US ground beef, bacon, cheese, and a competition uniform) valued at about 300,000 KRW to support R&D. Preliminary rounds are on February 24–25 at Samsung Welstory WIC Center, and the finals (with semifinals) are April 9 at Yangjae aT Center, staged as a main event of Samsung Biz Festa. The winning team receives 10 million KRW, national team qualification for WFC in Indianapolis this October, approximately 30 million KRW in travel and living support, and a 10 million KRW online marketing package via USMEF. The champions will also be invited to the Japan Burger Championship in June for a global showcase and sales booth experience. Melting Soul, which previously placed top 3 at WFC, will act as organizer and mentor. Applications are open until February 1 on the official website.
