H1-KEY cheers youth eSports athletes onto the IEF 2026 stage

Girl group H1-KEY is set to become the face of an international eSports celebration. Their agency, CHOI Creative Lab, announced that H1-KEY has been appointed as official ambassadors for the 'IEF 2026 International eSports Festival,' which opens this November.

IEF 2026 Ambassador Activities Featuring Athletes from Over 10 Countries

Hosted by the International Exchange Federation, IEF 2026 is a large-scale festival aimed at the growth and exchange of youth athletes. Following national youth eSports leagues and national team selection matches, the event will proceed in November as a competition between nations, featuring delegations from over 10 countries worldwide.

H1-KEY will directly participate in producing official promotional content for the tournament, conducting SNS campaigns, and engaging in on-site activities. In particular, they plan to increase the tournament's visibility by delivering H1-KEY's unique messages of encouragement to youth athletes pursuing their dreams across the country.

An Unusual Celebrity Appointment Since 2013

This appointment is also drawing attention from the perspective of eSports competitions. Since actor Kim In-gwon and singer Baek A Yeon in 2013, it is highly unusual for celebrities to serve as ambassadors for an international eSports festival like IEF. The strategy is to boost the tournament's buzz by leveraging H1-KEY's global recognition and solid fandom within Asia.

In their appointment remarks, H1-KEY stated, "It is an honor to be part of IEF 2026. With the same heart we use to do our best on stage, we will sincerely cheer for all the youth athletes taking on new challenges."

Following Japan Fan-meeting, H1-KEY to Take the Stage at Waterbomb Seoul 2026

H1-KEY's activities continue without pause. Having recently successfully concluded their first fan-meeting 'THE FIRST KEY' in Japan to meet global fans, H1-KEY is now accelerating their domestic activities.

Scheduled to perform at 'Waterbomb Seoul 2026' held at the KINTEX outdoor global stage in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do on the 26th, H1-KEY plans to continue their full-scale IEF 2026 promotional activities following their appearance at the summer season festival.