Galaxy Robot Arena Dubai — the first overseas robot venue, inside a Dubai Mall cinema

The short answer — what opened in Dubai

On 23 October 2026 (local time), Galaxy Corporation held a press conference at Reel Cinemas, the cinema inside Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates, and unveiled Galaxy Robot Arena Dubai, a humanoid robot performance venue. Built with Dubai's Emaar Entertainment and Reel Cinemas, it turns an existing cinema into a stage for robot shows and hands-on experiences, and it is the company's first overseas robot venue after Galaxy Robot Park in Seoul.

By the company's count, this is its second robot venue after the Robot Arena inside Galaxy Robot Park in Seoul, and its first overseas site. Seoul Economic TV, which also counted the September 2026 New York campaign, called it the "third hub after Seoul and New York". Count permanent venues and it is the second; count overseas stages as well and it is the third.

What the 23 October launch show featured

The launch event was built around performance. Humanoid robots danced in formation to music that blended K-pop with Middle Eastern sounds, and robots dressed in the costumes of different cultures danced together before closing with a hug to express cultural exchange (Venture Square). Robots in astronaut suits bearing the flags of Korea and the UAE also took the stage as a symbol of bilateral cooperation, according to the company (Korea JoongAng Daily). Robot boxing and drawing-robot experiences, in which visitors deal with robots face to face, were shown as well (company English press release).

CEO Choi Yong-ho framed the robots on stage in terms of coexistence rather than replacement.

The future of robots is not about replacing humans, but about living alongside them.— Choi Yong-ho, Founder and CEO of Galaxy Corporation, Dubai press conference (23 Oct 2026; translated from Korean, Venture Square)

Our challenge, which began in Seoul, has continued through New York to Dubai.— Choi Yong-ho, Dubai press conference (23 Oct 2026, company press release)

Choi closed his remarks with the line "The Future of AI Is Humanity" — the idea that human experience and values should sit at the centre of technological progress. It runs along the same line as the "Physical AI for humanity" message the company put forward at ONE WORLD. ONE PEACE. in New York in September 2026.

Why Dubai, and why a cinema

Dubai was chosen for its audience. Around the official opening of the Seoul park in August 2026, Choi told the Korea Herald that the company was opening in Dubai so that tourists and foreign visitors from 100 countries could experience physical robots (as quoted by blooloop). Dubai Mall is the world's largest shopping mall by total area and sits right next to the Burj Khalifa. Earlier reports had referred to the site of the second Dubai venue as the "Burj Khalifa mall" and in other ways; the unveiling confirmed it as Reel Cinemas inside Dubai Mall.

The cinema format reflects an operating calculation. Seoul Economic TV noted that using an existing auditorium keeps start-up costs lower than building a new venue: the robot stage goes into a space that already has seating, sound and screen equipment. The same report named sourcing robots for each city, finding on-site operating staff and producing content that brings audiences back as the challenges ahead, while Venture Square listed stable robot operation, maintenance, audience safety and continuous content development as the conditions for a permanent run.

The difference from Seoul is scale. Galaxy Robot Park in Seoul is a theme park on a site of about 16,500 m² (5,000 pyeong) combining a performance hall, experience zones and a café; Dubai puts a single robot arena into a cinema inside a shopping mall. What this opening tests is whether the shows and operations proven in Seoul can be carried into existing facilities in other cities (What the Robot Park actually tests).

From plan to opening — 2026 step by step

The Dubai arena opened after a little over six months of preparation. Here are the confirmed dates in order.

The company says it treats Dubai as its strategic base for the Middle East and is building a business network linking Korea, the United States and the Middle East through its Middle East subsidiary. The company's overall history is in the Galaxy Corporation timeline, and the schedule Choi gave in New York in September is in Galaxy Press Radar, September 2026.

How Arabic-language media covered it

Galaxy Corporation's first major appearance in Arabic-language media came through a government meeting, not a show. On 16 April 2026 the Dubai Media Office announced, in Arabic and English, the meeting between Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed and Cho Sunghae, and the UAE state news agency WAM and the Arabic dailies Al Khaleej and Emarat Al Youm, among others, carried it from the same day. Arabic outlets wrote the company's name as "جالاكسي كوربوريشن" (Galaxy Corporation) and the subsidiary's as "جالاكسي إم إي" (Galaxy ME), and introduced it as a Korean company following a "Tech-Enter" model that combines entertainment and advanced technology.

In the coverage of the meeting, Sheikh Ahmed said Dubai continues to cement its position as a global centre for the content industry and the creative economy.

تواصل دبي ترسيخ مكانتها مركزاً عالمياً لصناعة المحتوى والاقتصاد الإبداعي— Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 16 Apr 2026 (Dubai Media Office). Translation: "Dubai continues to consolidate its position as a global hub for the content industry and the creative economy"

In short, Arabic-language coverage introduced Galaxy first as a technology company entering Dubai's media and creative-economy agenda, rather than as a K-pop agency. The October unveiling of the arena was covered locally mainly by English-language media: Dubai Week previewed the 23 October media event, and mid-east.info and Gadget Voize ran the company's press release. As of this writing (31 October 2026), we have not found Arabic-language press coverage of the arena unveiling. How coverage frames diverge by language is covered in How the global press framed Galaxy, by language.

Where after Dubai

The next cities the company named were reported slightly differently depending on the outlet. Korean media, Korea JoongAng Daily and the English edition of Seoul Economic Daily listed Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore as the next robot arena candidates, while mid-east.info, which carried the company's English press release, listed San Francisco, Hong Kong and Osaka. Hong Kong appears on both lists. Seoul Economic Daily also reported that the company is preparing a robot performance venue in New York.

The company says it will keep developing show content tailored to local culture and audiences, drawing on its experience running the Dubai venue. How robots in several cities can reproduce choreography learned once is explained in Robot performance technology.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Galaxy Robot Arena Dubai?

It is in Reel Cinemas, the cinema inside Dubai Mall in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The launch event on 23 October 2026 (local time) was held in the Dolby Screen 21 auditorium on Level 2 of Reel Cinemas.

When did it open?

Galaxy Corporation unveiled Galaxy Robot Arena Dubai at a press conference themed "THE FUTURE OF PHYSICAL AI BEGINS IN DUBAI", held at Reel Cinemas, Dubai Mall, on 23 October 2026 (local time).

Who did Galaxy build it with?

It was built with Dubai's Emaar Entertainment and Reel Cinemas, the cinema brand that Emaar Entertainment develops and manages. The company describes it as the world's first robot arena operating inside a cinema.

What can visitors see?

At the launch, humanoid robots danced in formation to music blending K-pop and Middle Eastern sounds, and robots in astronaut suits bearing the Korean and UAE flags performed a piece symbolising bilateral cooperation. Robot boxing and drawing-robot experiences were also shown.

Where can I buy tickets?

According to the company's English press release, tickets can be booked through the Reel Cinemas website and app.

How is it different from Galaxy Robot Park in Seoul?

Galaxy Robot Park is a Physical AI theme park in Godeok, Gangdong District, Seoul, on a site of about 16,500 m² (5,000 pyeong) combining a performance hall, experience zones and a café. Dubai puts a robot arena into an existing cinema inside a shopping mall, and it is the company's first overseas robot venue.

How is Galaxy ME involved?

Galaxy ME is the Middle East subsidiary Galaxy Corporation founded in Dubai in April 2026. The company says it uses the subsidiary to make Dubai its base for the Middle East market, and on 16 April Galaxy ME CEO Cho Sunghae met Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, to discuss cooperation in media and advanced technology.

How did Arabic-language media describe Galaxy Corporation?

In April 2026, the Dubai Media Office, WAM, Al Khaleej, Emarat Al Youm and others — reporting on the meeting with a senior government official and the UAE National Media Authority's announcement of the company's regional operations — described it as a Korean company following a "Tech-Enter" model that combines entertainment and advanced technology. The Arabic spelling is "جالاكسي كوربوريشن".

Where will the next robot arena be after Dubai?

Korean media reported Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore as the next candidates, while the company's English press release listed San Francisco, Hong Kong and Osaka. Hong Kong appears on both lists.