The Korean government is looking to lure in Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern tourists with specially curated Korean content-themed tours.
Great news, K-lovers! You can now satisfy both your wanderlust and K-Culture cravings with South Korea’s Hallyu-themed tour packages.
The country’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are looking to lure Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern tourists with specially curated Korean content-themed tours, according to a report by Lee Si-jin on The Korea Herald.
Wooing K-pop fans in Southeast Asia, the Middle East
According to the ministry’s press release, despite the popularity of Korean content, some travel destinations have not been promoted properly “due to their low accessibility and intellectual property rights.”
The statement added: “We have been discussing such issues and have assisted local travel agencies and content creators to sign a memorandum of understanding for greater travel experiences that can satisfy passionate Hallyu fans.”
The new Hallyu-centric tour packages will be heavily promoted in several Southeast Asian countries and the United Arab Emirates, where Korea’s soft power has steadily gained influence and immense following.
From a K-pop dance class to a BTS location tour
The seven Hallyu-themed tours will include four day-trip programs in Seoul and its suburbs, two one-night trips to Busan or Pyeongchang, and a three-day trip to Gangwon Province.
Love dancing to K-pop beats? Then opt for the day-trip programs which feature a K-pop dance class with popular show “Street Woman Fighter” (2021) dancers, and opportunities to make a K-pop dance cover video, immerse yourself in a dance audition booth, and experience street dance culture in Seoul’s hip and trendy Hongdae district.
The one-night trip to Pyeongchang, in Gangwon Province, meanwhile, offers holidaymakers a chance to explore some of the restricted areas of the Samyang Roundhill farm and taste local delicacies. Pyeongchang hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2018 Winter Paralympics.
Photo by Lee Si-jin from The Korea Herald
The three-day trip to Gangwon Province and Busan includes a range of itineraries to fully experience these vibrant regions. The tour includes a visit to the “BTS In The Soop” estate in Pyeongchang, where BTS heartthrobs RM read a book on a beanbag and V played his trumpet.
Tourists can also explore different areas of Gangneung and Pyeongchang, like Hyangho Beach—a filming location for BTS’ music videos—on the first two days of the tour, and spend the last day of the trip at popular travel spots in Busan.
Other tours offer a chance to visit the filming spots of popular Korean dramas such as the phenomenal worldwide hit Crash Landing on You (2019), Castaway Diva (2023), and Marry My Husband (2024).
Detailed dates for the Korean content-themed tours are yet to be announced.
