The Taiwan Tourism Bureau announced that from October 31 to November 2, they held an experiential pop-up store titled “Oh! Bear’s Tea House” at Seongsu Portal in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, featuring Taiwan’s tea culture.
This event was designed to allow attendees to experience Taiwan’s famous tourist spots and tea culture firsthand. Kyuhyun, a singer and Taiwan tourism ambassador, attended the event.
The pop-up store was themed around major regions in Taiwan, such as Hsinchu, Nantou, New Taipei, Chiayi, and Alishan. Visitors received a stamp ticket upon entry and participated in various experiences by visiting each region’s tea room in sequence.
At the Hsinchu tea room, the origins of the Oriental Beauty Tea were introduced, and a teacup-shaped photo zone was available for visitors to experience Taiwan’s tea culture. The Nantou tea room operated a sensory experience zone where visitors could experience representative Taiwanese tea varieties through sight, smell, and touch. The New Taipei tea room offered a traditional teabag-making experience, while the Chiayi and Alishan tea rooms provided a space to taste teas brewed by the visitors themselves.
Visitors who completed all experiences received goods featuring the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s mascot, Oh! Bear, and a popular Taiwanese snack, red bean cake, was given to the first visitors.
On the second day of the event, Taiwan tourism ambassador Kyuhyun visited the venue and interacted with the audience. He shared his thoughts, stating, “Through a cup of tea, I could sense the culture and natural aroma of Taiwan even in Korea.”
The pop-up also featured a “Make Your Own Tea” class conducted by Sherry Bai, a tea master from Taiwan. Participants were introduced to major Taiwanese tea varieties and tea culture, and they got to experience blending and tasting their teas.
A representative from the Taiwan Tourism Bureau said, “Under this year’s theme, ‘See You Again Taiwan!’, we plan to continuously promote Taiwan’s charm and culture to Korean tourists,” adding, “We aim to continue various exchange events so Taiwan can be perceived as a destination worth revisiting.”