At the Busan Mathematics Festival, students can build structures with friends or read a book and join a quiz. In the exhibition hall, visitors can make pictures with cube puzzles and try learning tools and games. Separating activities that require school registration from those open to on-site participants makes preparation clearer.
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Pick your situation and jump to that place. 5 places.
- Building with friends from the same schoolCreative Math Structure Challenge
- Sharing mathematical stories from a bookMath Reading Golden Bell Quiz
- Making pictures with cube puzzlesMath Art Exhibition
- Trying learning tools and games firsthandLearning Tools and Board Games Zone
- Exploring connections between technology and mathAI Play Zone
At a glance
- The festival runs on November 13–14 at BEXCO in Haeundae, Busan. General visiting hours are 09:30–16:30. Programs requiring advance registration follow separate schedules.
- Advance registration through schools closes on November 2 at 15:00. The structure challenge and reading quiz have different elementary grade and participant-number requirements.
- The Math Art exhibition, learning tools and board games zone, and AI play zone accept on-site participants. Start with the activity you prefer: making art, playing games, or exploring technology.
Event scope — The 2026 festival takes place on November 13–14 at BEXCO in Haeundae, Busan. The venues are Hall 2 and Rooms 217–218 in Exhibition Center 1. General visiting hours are listed as 09:30–16:30. Programs requiring advance registration through schools have separate schedules and eligibility requirements.
Participation — First, check whether an activity requires advance registration through a school or accepts on-site participants.
Grade and team requirements — For programs requiring advance registration, compare eligible elementary grades and participant limits per school.
Activities — Decide whether to build together, take part through reading, or enjoy exhibitions and hands-on activities.
01Best when Building with friends from the same school
Creative Math Structure Challenge (수학 창의 구조물 챌린지)
Team design and construction using mathematical principles
- Five Score
- 4.0A team activity applying mathematical principles through design and construction
- Location
- Room 217, Exhibition Center 1, BEXCO
- Keywords
- Busan Mathematics Festival, Creative Math Structure Challenge, Haeundae, Busan
- Tags
Choose the structure challenge if building as a team is your priority. At BEXCO, students put mathematical principles from textbooks into practice through design and construction. It suits upper-elementary students who want to build with friends from the same school.
Teams consist of 2–3 students in grades 5–6 from elementary schools in Busan. The operating plan distinguishes a document-based preliminary round from a final round involving construction and presentations. After choosing teammates, students need to prepare for school registration and the document-based preliminary round.
- Hours
- November 13, 09:00–16:30
- Watch out
- Elementary teams must consist of 2–3 students in grades 5–6 from the same school
02Best when Sharing mathematical stories from a book
Math Reading Golden Bell Quiz (수학 독서 골든벨)
Quiz based on an assigned book
- Five Score
- 4.0A quiz for sharing ideas about an assigned book
- Location
- Room 218, Exhibition Center 1, BEXCO
- Keywords
- Busan Mathematics Festival, Math Reading Golden Bell Quiz, Haeundae, Busan
- Tags
The reading quiz is open to students in grades 1–6 at elementary schools in Busan, including the lower grades. At BEXCO, participants join a quiz that involves reading an assigned book and sharing stories and ideas. It suits students who prefer mathematical stories in books to building structures.
The assigned elementary-level book is Tteutbakui Suhak Iyagi: Inmullo Baeuneun Jaeminan Suhak (Unexpected Math Stories: Learning Fun Math Through People). Registration is first come, first served, with a maximum of 2 students per school. Unlike the challenge, which requires a team of several students, the first thing to check here is the number of applicants allowed per school.
- Hours
- Elementary division: November 13, 09:00–12:10
- Watch out
- Participant numbers are divided into 30 students in grades 1–3 and 30 in grades 4–6
03Best when Making pictures with cube puzzles
Math Art Exhibition (Math Art 작품 전시)
Making pictures together with cube puzzles
- Five Score
- 4.0A participatory exhibition where visitors create pictures together with cube puzzles
- Location
- Math Communication Area, Busan Mathematics Festival, BEXCO
- Keywords
- Busan Mathematics Festival, Math Art Exhibition, Haeundae, Busan
- Tags
Visitors join on site and make pictures together as part of the exhibition. Math Art in BEXCO's Math Communication Area uses cube puzzles. It suits families who enjoy creating pictures with puzzle pieces.
Make this participatory exhibition a priority if you want to create something yourself as well as view the artwork. Its participation format differs from the structure challenge, which requires forming a team and preparing for a preliminary round.
04Best when Trying learning tools and games firsthand
Learning Tools and Board Games Zone (교구 및 보드게임 체험존)
Hands-on learning tools and strategy games
- Five Score
- 4.0Strategy games and hands-on activities
- Location
- Math Communication Area, Busan Mathematics Festival, BEXCO
- Keywords
- Busan Mathematics Festival, Learning Tools and Board Games Zone, Haeundae, Busan
- Tags
The focus here is on strategy games and hands-on activities. Learning tools and board games share one activity zone in BEXCO's Math Communication Area. It suits families who want to think through games rather than make artwork.
The official plan describes it as a space anyone can enjoy. Give this zone priority if your aim is to try learning tools and games on site rather than represent a school in a competition.
05Best when Exploring connections between technology and math
AI Play Zone (AI 플레이존)
Hands-on exploration of technology and mathematical principles
- Five Score
- 4.0A hands-on space connecting math and technology
- Location
- Math Communication Area, Busan Mathematics Festival, BEXCO
- Keywords
- Busan Mathematics Festival, AI Play Zone, Haeundae, Busan
- Tags
Explore the AI play zone if you are interested in the connection between technology and math. It is a separate space from the learning tools and board games zone in BEXCO's Math Communication Area. The official operating plan describes it as a hands-on space introducing the relationship between AI's core principles and mathematics.
It suits students who want to approach math through technology rather than books or art.
Five Busan Mathematics Festival learning programs at a glance
- 1Creative Math Structure ChallengeBuilding with friends from the same schoolElementary grades 5–6; teams of 2–3; document-based preliminary round4.0
- 2Math Reading Golden Bell QuizSharing mathematical stories from a bookElementary grades 1–6; maximum of 2 per school, first come, first served4.0
- 3Math Art ExhibitionMaking pictures with cube puzzlesOn-site participation4.0
- 4Learning Tools and Board Games ZoneTrying learning tools and games firsthandOperates as one activity zone4.0
- 5AI Play ZoneExploring connections between technology and mathOn-site participation4.0
Choosing in more detail
- If you want to build together — Creative Math Structure Challenge. Plan to form a team and then prepare for the document-based preliminary round.
- If you want to take part through reading — Math Reading Golden Bell Quiz. Allow time to read the assigned book before your visit.
- If you want to explore math and art together — Math Art Exhibition. A good choice if making pictures with cube puzzles interests you.
- If you want hands-on activities and games — Learning Tools and Board Games Zone. Both activities take place in one space.
- If you want to discover how math is used in technology — AI Play Zone. It operates as a separate hands-on space in the Math Communication Area.
Ask before you go
- 1When does school registration for the Busan Mathematics Festival close?
Advance registration through schools runs from October 22 at 15:00 to November 2 at 15:00. Schools submit applications, so students should tell their homeroom teacher they would like to participate. Check your own school's notice separately for its internal deadline and whether you can apply.
- 2Can I assume the school's internal deadline is also November 2?
Schools may stop accepting student applications earlier. The elementary school affiliated with Busan National University of Education announced that it would accept applications through homeroom teachers until October 29 and use a draw if there were too many applicants. This date and selection method apply only to that school's notice.
- 3Can competition participants arrive when general visiting hours begin?
Programs requiring advance registration have separate start times. The operating plan lists a 09:00 start for both the structure challenge and the elementary reading quiz. Competition participants need to prepare for a schedule that starts before general visiting hours.
Research notes
Research date October 29, 2026 · Sources Advance-registration notice from the elementary school affiliated with Busan National University of Education; notice posted on the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education's Incheon mathematics education site and the attached operating plan from the Busan mathematics culture center · Subject to change Event operations and registration Five Score A relative score out of 5 based on published activity details, participation methods, and eligibility requirements. Separate from assessments of educational effectiveness, on-site satisfaction, or platform ratings.
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