Questions?
Send us an email on: [email protected]
Join the Master Duo competition at Magicon Unchained
This is one of Magicon’s biggest cosplay competitions in which winners will be going to South Korea to participate in the international cosplay championship GICOF, organized by the Korean Manhwa Content hub Komacon!
As you get from the name, you have to be a duo in order to participate.
The application will open on February 14th at 18.00.
To include participation from all Nordic Countries we will reserve one spot for each country. If a team consists of participants from two different countries, spots for two countries will be taken. This reservation will be open for 8 days after application opens. If not all spots are taken, the spot will be given to the next duo on the applicant list.
When: Sunday
What is GICOF?
Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival, or GICOF, is a convention in Seoul, South-Korea. GICOF is connected with Bucheon International Comics Festival, which is a big event where the main focus of interest are comics, cartoons, and anime. This festival attracts a lot of people within nerd culture, and many of them are cosplayers. The festival hosts shows, stands, and a huge competition where cosplayers around the globe come to compete.
Only the cosplayers who have passed a preliminary contest get to participate in this extravagant contest! The cosplayers competing at GICOF are treated like proper VIP’s; getting the opportunity to walk down a red carpet, having a press-photoshoot event, ect. The other cosplayers at the event really admire the GICOF competitors, so this is a perfect opportunity to bathe in some cosplay fame!
The trip to GICOF is a 5-day trip where you get to explore Seoul, try out the different kinds of food Korea has to offer, get to know the other cosplay competitors from around the globe, as well as join in on a couple of networking parties that are arranged for you all.
Among honour and glory, the winners of the GICOF International Cosplay Championship receives a trophy, an award, and a cash prize of 10 000 000 KRW (around 80 000 NOK)
Photo by: Ookami Photography
Competing at GICOF
GICOF is a competition which focuses more on the performance part of cosplay rather than up-close details of seams and craftsmanship. In that regard, the competition has no form of pre-judging, and the verdict is based on the competitors’ performance and presence on stage. This is completely different from what most cosplayers are used to for a Master level competition. The competitors often use different means to stand out in the competition; Costume changes, dancing, fighting, anime-styled drama, and in general an entertaining story that is very easy to follow. There’s a big focus on prop usage, the entertainment value of the performance, and how flashy your costume looks.
The judges panel consists of members from the preliminary competition organizers. These representatives come from the following countries:
South-Korea, USA, Mexico, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Spain, Poland, Latvia, The Netherlands, Norway
Photo by: Gressloek Photography
Notes for competitors
Not every organizer is fluent in English, so it’s wise to be vary of too much dialogue in your performance. Tell the story through your body, emotions, music and energy! All dialogue in the performance will be subtitled to Korean for the finals.
As of 2024, you can now compete together with your Nordic friends at GICOF! We’ve expanded our GICOF qualifier to include contestants from countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and of course, Norway. We’re looking forward to seeing who’ll represent the brand new Team Nordic at GICOF 2024.
Photo by: Ookami Photography
Master Duo competition rules (GICOF preliminaries)
The following rule set is the official, international rules issued by GICOF used universally by all representing countries worldwide.
Click here to see all rules
1. Co-operation:
All contenders shall actively co-operate with Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival Championship (hereinafter referred to as “GICOF Championship”).
2. Participation at GICOF:
In order to be invited to participate in the preliminary round of the GICOF Championship finals the participating team has to consist of two persons.
3. Age:
18 years of age or older on the day of the preliminary round.
4. Country/Region:
citizens or residents of the Nordic countries (hereby: Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland).
– In the case of residents, they must submit their citizenship or residence right to the organizers of the relevant country when applying for a competition.
– However, if the participants’ residence is changed to another country, they will participate in the competition as a member of the first country/region to apply, not the changed country, which cannot be changed for three years.
– A resident is required to have a resident permit of the country they represent.
5. Costumes:
– Only cosplay costumes based on characters from published/official visual media such as cartoons, webtoons, animations, games and movies can participate. Original characters are not allowed.
– The contestants have to keep both the cosplay and performance PG13.
– The cosplayers are not allowed to participate with the cosplay which has previously received podium placement in competitions without significant improvement or change on the given cosplay.
– Cosplay has to be 60% selfmade* by the participating duo.
6. The Performance:
– The performance shall have a maximum length of 3 minutes.
– Any sound shall be pre-recorded. We recommend using English as the main language in your performance.
– If you have video and sound, this has to be provided in .mp4 format.
– You will not be able to use a microphone for your performance.
– Confetti, fireworks/crackers etc, is not allowed.
– Weapon/Prop rules must be followed at all times.
– The performance shall be PG13.
– All media must be submitted by the end of day on the 18th of May. Participants unable to do so will be disqualified.
7. Stage props:
– Two helpers are placed behind the stage to help the contestants and props
move. However, no one can help or intervene in the performance on the stage.
If you have questions regarding dimensions of your stage props contact us at [email protected]
Each team will have one minute before and after the performance respectively for changing the stage.
8. Participation in the Finals:
– The winning team of the GICOF Championship preliminary rounds must participate in the GICOF Championship finals held in Korea 2026.
– You may change your costume and performance for the finals at GICOF.
9. Pre-judging:
To replicate the experience of competing at GICOF, there’ll be no pre-judging at Magicon. GICOF focuses on visual grandeur and performance art instead of the close-up details of the craftsmanship. As stated in the criteria for judging, the costume still counts 50% of the final score, as viewed from the audience.
10. Magicon’s pre-approval:
– The only goal of Magicon’s pre-approval is to ensure that applicants meet GICOF’s requirements and so we can insure inclusion of the Nordic countries.
– Applicants will get their application confirmed or dismissed on the 22nd on February.
– If the participant limit is not reached within the 22nd of February your application will be confirmed or dismissed within 48 hours after applying.
11. Prizes:
There will be prizes for 1st and 2nd place.
Criteria for judging:
| Classification | Details | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Total points | 110 | |
| Costume & Objects | Similarity to the original contents, quality of costumes and props and stage props | 50 |
| Direction ability | Acting, using stage props and utilizing the stage, using the background video and stage lights | 50 |
| Additional points: | Connection with audience, expression and audience’s response | Up to 10 |
*Self-made
Exceptions will be made for things like contact lenses, shoes, wigs, undergarments, prosthetics (like ears and noses, even though it’s cool if you do) etc. as well as using other people’s equipment (such as using someone else’s 3D printer after modeling your own file)
*Likeness
The judges will only evaluate how the costume is constructed and how the competitor is using it to achieve likeness to the character it is based on. Factors such as gender, height, weight, skin colour, or similar aspects are not to be taken into consideration.
Magicon/Mic Solberg
