Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Win 17 Awards at the 2026 Red Dot Award, Including Best of the Best

Two Grand Prizes and Fifteen Main Prizes Secured
Genesis Cheongju Wins Best of the Best
UX Studio Seoul Recognized in Three Categories
Kia Receives Main Prizes for Exhibition Projects

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia have swept 17 awards at a global design competition.

'2026 Red Dot Award' Grand Prize & Main Prize Genesis 'Genesis Cheongju'. Hyundai Motor Group

On August 7, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia announced that they had received two Grand Prizes (Best of the Best) and 15 Main Prizes (Winner) at the 2026 Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design division.

The Red Dot Award is the world’s largest design competition and one of the top three global design awards, along with Germany’s iF and the U.S. IDEA. Organized by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Germany, it annually recognizes excellence in three categories: Product Design, Brands & Communication Design, and Design Concepts.

Genesis Cheongju was awarded the Best of the Best in Retail Design and the Winner in Spatial Communication for its space design, which connects Cheongju’s regional heritage — known for craftsmanship in ‘Jikji’ and ‘Hanji’ — with Genesis’s design philosophy of ‘craftsmanship’.

The design concept for Genesis Cheongju, titled ‘Layer Built Through Empathy,’ incorporates the meanings of ‘layer’ (layered upon one another) and ‘turn on (to set alight),’ expressing Genesis’s intention to build relationships with customers, accumulate experiences, and open a new cultural chapter.

By reinterpreting the concepts of traditional Korean architecture into a modern brand space, Genesis Cheongju embodied the brand vision of ‘modest authenticity’, and by introducing the idea of community into the space, Hyundai Motor Company enhanced experiential programs so customers could deeply engage with the brand beyond a simple vehicle exhibition.

'2026 Red Dot Award' Grand Prize & Main Award Hyundai Motor Company 'UX Studio Seoul'. Hyundai Motor Group

Hyundai Motor Company was recognized in three categories with ‘UX Studio Seoul’, which opened up new possibilities in UX research—receiving the Grand Prize in Digital Solutions and the Main Prize in both Interior Design and Exhibition Design.

UX Studio Seoul is the first open UX research space in the global automotive industry, providing a systematic and ongoing research platform where any customer can participate in UX development and provide feedback. The modular spatial system enables adaptability to changing research environments, earning high praise as an innovative UX platform.

'CES 2026', which redefined robots as evolving technology partners for humans at this year’s CES, received Main Prizes in both the Fair/Temporary Exhibition and Interior Architecture Concept categories. The pavilion thoroughly showcased the research and development process of robotics, effectively embodying the vision of human-centric AI robotics through interactive experiences for visitors.

In addition, Hyundai Motor Company received a total of nine Main Prizes, including ‘Hope On Wheels’, ‘IAA Mobility 2025’, ‘UX Studio Seoul Book’, ‘Hyundai Heritage Stella & Sonata Retrace Magazine’, and ‘Hyundai Onboarding Kit’.

‘Hope On Wheels’ is one of Hyundai's primary global social responsibility initiatives, aiming to raise awareness of pediatric cancer and support research and treatment. It conveys the values of care and hope, fostering a sense of empathy and engagement worldwide.

‘IAA Mobility 2025’, which showcased Hyundai’s vision for entering the European small EV market, strengthened brand presence and effectively communicated the direction of future mobility through an open booth design and a striking spatial experience using Hyundai Blue.

'2026 Red Dot Award' Grand Prize Kia 'The Kia EV4 with Musinsa'. Hyundai Motor Group

Kia received Main Prizes for its collaborative exhibition ‘The Kia EV4 with Musinsa’, which expanded the brand experience beyond the debut of a new vehicle, as well as for the ‘Legacy of Movement’ exhibition, which highlighted Kia’s past and present while presenting a vision for the future.

‘The Kia EV4 with Musinsa’ exhibition, created in collaboration with Musinsa, a leading Korean fashion platform, presented the EV4 not just as a technology-centric product, but as a lifestyle object. The venue, ‘Kia Unplugged Ground’, was reborn as a cultural space where mobility and fashion intersect.

By naturally connecting various experiences—such as runway shows, fashion exhibitions, and interactive programs—within one space while maintaining a unified brand message, Kia expanded its brand experience into the lifestyle arena, seeking to change perceptions of electric vehicles.

The ‘Legacy of Movement’ exhibition, marking Kia’s 80th anniversary, looked back on the brand’s history and the impact it has had on people’s lives, showcasing Kia’s distinctive DNA through spatial narratives.

To capture not only Kia’s heritage but also its vision for the future, the exhibition adopted different design approaches for each theme. Immersive environments tailored to each zone allowed visitors to deeply experience the brand’s evolving story, showing how accumulated moments continue to open new possibilities for the future.

Kia further demonstrated the brand’s competitiveness by receiving five Main Prizes in total—including exhibitions presented at the April 2025 Milan Design Week and archives such as ‘Opposites United: a Communication Archive’ and ‘Kia Design Magazine’, which comprehensively documented design projects held between Milan and Seoul from 2022 to 2025.

A representative for Hyundai Motor Company and Kia stated, “These honors hold great significance because they recognize the global competitiveness of our customer-focused brand experiences and spatial designs. We will continue to build a positive brand image through outstanding design and marketing capabilities.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.