Hongik University

What Hongik University does

Hongik University (홍익대학교) is a private comprehensive university in South Korea, founded in 1948 and operating across four campuses: Seoul (arts and humanities main campus), Sejong (science, technology, engineering, games, and business), Daehakno (performing arts including musical theater and practical music), and Hwaseong (autonomous driving, AI, and 4th industrial revolution education). The university serves a diversified student base including domestic undergraduate students, graduate students, international students from 139 partner universities across 25+ countries, and lifelong learners, with educational programs spanning engineering, arts, design, business, law, education, humanities, and social sciences guided by its motto 'Where Industry Meets Arts' (산업과 예술의 만남).

The university's core technology and infrastructure includes the 250-meter Hongik Art & Design Valley (5,200 pyeong facility for startup education and industry-academia collaboration), the Shared Equipment Center established in 2020 for convergent research, digital and physical Maker Spaces with 3D printing, CNC, vacuum forming, and electroplating capabilities, and the Metaverse Convergence SW Academy (now in its 6th cohort). Research is delivered through 30+ specialized institutes including AID Convergence Technology, Smart Mobility, Autonomous Driving Mobility, Digital Healthcare, Digital Information Security, Mechatronics, Metamaterial Electronic Devices, and Smart City Environment Design centers.

Revenue is generated primarily through subscription/recurring tuition and admission fees across undergraduate and graduate programs, supplemented by continuing education through three lifelong learning centers, international student tuition, industry-academia collaboration contracts, government research grants, and donations via the Hongik Development Fund. The university employs approximately 60 staff in its Industry-Academia Collaboration Unit and operates a marketing and distribution model combining direct domestic admissions (수시/정시 cycles), international student recruitment through partner universities, and specialized graduate school tracks. Its proprietary technology differentiators center on integration and interoperability across arts-design-engineering disciplines rather than standalone commercial products, consistent with its nonprofit educational mission.

Name

Hongik University

Legal name

HONGIK UNIVERSITY

Website

https://hongik.ac.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hongik University is a private South Korean comprehensive university operating four campuses (Seoul, Sejong, Daehakno, Hwaseong) that delivers undergraduate and graduate programs in arts, design, engineering, business, and humanities to domestic and international students under its 'Where Industry Meets Arts' philosophy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Humanities & Creative Research Universities (EDAHABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate school education
• Arts and design university
• Research university programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Admission Fees: As a private university in South Korea, Hongik University generates revenue primarily through undergraduate and graduate tuition fees, admission fees, and various academic service charges. The university operates regular semesters plus summer and winter intensive sessions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hongik University is a comprehensive private university delivering undergraduate and graduate education across engineering, arts, design, humanities, business, law, and social sciences through four campuses in South Korea. It offers specialized professional graduate schools in design, fashion, performing arts, architecture/urban studies, industrial arts, arts management, and video/communication, alongside industry-academia research, startup incubation, career services, and international exchange with 139 partner universities across 33 countries.

Product overview

Hongik University operates as a comprehensive private university with a portfolio of academic programs and student services organized across multiple campuses (Seoul, Sejong, Daehakno, Hwaseong). The core offering consists of undergraduate programs spanning engineering, arts, design, business, humanities, law, and education, alongside a graduate school system that includes general, professional, and special graduate schools. Notable specialized graduate schools include the International Design Graduate School (IDAS) for design leadership, the Performing Arts Graduate School for music and theatre, the Fashion Graduate School, the Architecture and Urban Graduate School, the Arts Management Graduate School (cultural arts MBA), the Industrial Arts Graduate School, and the Video and Communication Graduate School (covering VR/AR and digital media). The university further provides open education via the International Language Education Institute and lifelong learning centers, an international exchange program with 139 partner universities across 33 countries, career and employment support through its Career Center, and startup/entrepreneurship incubation including the Hongik Art & Design Valley co-working space. The academic portfolio reflects the institution's motto of 'Industry Meets Arts,' integrating creative disciplines with technical and managerial fields.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HIesta: Annual campus festival of Hongik University (Seoul Campus), e.g., 'HIesta : MEMENTO' (2026 edition).
• 홍아람 (Hongaram)
• 홍익 아트앤디자인밸리 (Hongik Art & Design Valley)
• 홍익 Research Frontier
• HI-Up
• 홍익의료원 (Hongik Medical Center)
• HIesta
• 홍익신문고 (Hongik Report Box)
• 홍익발전기금 (Hongik Development Fund)

Quantifiable outcome

• QS World University Rankings - Art & Design 48th globally (2026)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Hermitage Museum (에르미타주 박물관)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2026World-renowned Hermitage Museum (one of the world's three greatest museums) is discussing a memorandum of understanding with Hongik University for education and culture cooperation. The meeting explored possibilities for digital culture and arts collaboration between the two institutions.
• Noroo Paint (노루페인트)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Noroo Paint collaborated with Westworld and Hongik University to co-develop and launch Korea's first domestically-produced chroma key专用 paint through a 12-month industry-academia cooperation project.
• Westworld (웨스트월드)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Westworld collaborated with Noroo Paint and Hongik University to co-develop Korea's first domestically-produced chroma key paint through a 12-month industry-academia cooperation project.
• 139 International Partner UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHongik University maintains academic exchange agreements with 139 universities across 25+ countries including USA (18), China (20), Japan (15), France (14), and others. Programs include exchange student (SEA), visiting student (VSA), and dual degree (DDA) arrangements. Notable partners include Tsinghua University, Royal College of Art, Parsons School of Design, and Rhode Island School of Design.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Parsons School of Design (The New School): US-based global design leader and named Hongik partner university. Competes for top international design students and faculty, and serves as a benchmark for Hongik's IDAS graduate school positioning.
• Chung-Ang University: Seoul-based Korean private university with a similarly strong reputation in performing arts, film, and design. Directly competes with Hongik for creative-talent students and operates a comparable multi-campus structure.
• Seoul Institute of the Arts: Korean private arts-focused university offering undergraduate and graduate programs in performing arts, broadcasting, and design. Competes directly with Hongik's performing arts and design programs.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): Premier US art and design school ranked similarly to Hongik in global art/design rankings. A named Hongik partner university; competes for international students and global brand positioning in design.
• Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts): Public Korean university dedicated entirely to the arts, including music, drama, film, dance, and visual arts. Directly competes with Hongik's specialized arts graduate schools and arts/design undergraduate programs for top creative talent.
• Kookmin University: Seoul-based Korean private university with a strong design and engineering portfolio, including industrial design and film programs. Directly comparable in size and in competing for creative-industry students.

Broad incumbents

• Hanyang University: Major Seoul-based Korean private research university with strengths in engineering, design, and performing arts. Comparable scale to Hongik and competes across multiple disciplines including engineering education.
• Seoul National University (SNU): Korea's flagship public research university, dominating across all disciplines including arts, engineering, and business. Competes with Hongik for top undergraduate applicants and faculty, and represents the gold-standard benchmark in domestic higher education.
• Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU): Historic Korean private research university with strong engineering, business, and design programs. Competes with Hongik for STEM and design students and for industry research partnerships in Korea.
• Yonsei University: Top-tier Seoul-based Korean private research university with a comprehensive portfolio including arts, engineering, and business. Competes broadly with Hongik for students and research funding across disciplines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubephoto.hongik.ac.kr/photo/index.do
• Facebookcafe.naver.com/hongikilanguage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hongik-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/hongik_pd
• Xx.com/karmert

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries63 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hongik University