Korean Tourism Video, ‘Feel the [ ] of Korea’, ‘[Herald Economy = Ham Young-hoon] The captivating Korean tourism videos that have taken the world by storm, such as “Tiger is Coming,” “Mud Max,” and “Bird Song,” and which have even earned global awards for the planners at the Korea Tourism Organization, are now attracting attention with a [ ]-filled content.’,
The Korea Tourism Organization recently unveiled new advertisements on their official YouTube channel, “Imagine Your Korea,” for the year 2024. This year’s overseas marketing campaign for Korean tourism is themed around an “authentic” Korean journey that cannot be discovered through a search engine, but is instead introduced by Korean people themselves.
In June, the organization launched a teaser advertisement themed “Korean travel experiences recommended by real Koreans that AI can’t comprehend,” engaging the general public in a participatory promotion. They collected approximately 2,300 comments from the public, recommending places like the Mindungsan Mountain in Jeongseon, Songgwangsa Temple in Suncheon, Space Walk in Pohang, and Woljeonggyo Bridge in Gyeongju.
In July, the “New Jeans” campaign, focusing on “Food and Fun” recommended by Koreans, was revealed and has garnered 290 million cumulative views. The newly released thematic advertisement now centers on authentic “sights” recommended by Koreans.
Places well-known to tourists, such as Seoul and Jeju, as well as various sights throughout Korea including Buyeo, Danyang, Miryang, Pohang, Damyang, Gochang, and Yeongwol, were captured in the video.
The slogan for this theme campaign is “Feel the [ ] of Korea,” with four thematic visual-driven ad series, focusing on ▷Paths ▷Night ▷Adventure ▷Rest. These ads are designed to appeal to all age groups worldwide by minimizing messages and emphasizing intuitive visual beauty.
Moreover, the words “Path,” “Night,” “Adventure,” and “Rest” are written in Hangul, designed to pique foreigners’ curiosity. The ads also include Hangul pronunciations in brackets for viewers to follow along.
Each ad begins with a word that showcases the unique characteristics of Korea, delving deep into the diverse attractions of the country through each theme.
The “Path” edition depicts a protagonist who misses the bus and discovers the hidden charm of Korean paths through walking. Various paths in Korea, such as Seosulla-gil and Hipjiro streets in Seoul, Yonggulsan Sky Road in Sunchang, Jianjae in Hamyang, Space Walk in Pohang, and Udu Mountain Suspension Bridge in Geochang, were featured.
The “Night” edition shows two curious female runners who, while running, discover Daegu’s Seomun Night Market’s food offerings, Ulsan Myeongseondo’s media art, Gyeongju’s Woljeonggyo, and Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival, highlighting Korea’s vibrant and safe nightlife.
For the “Adventure” edition, it follows three friends embarking on a journey using an old map, introducing Korea’s beautiful nature and hidden spots like the echoing stones of Manyeonsa in Miryang, the mysterious island of Moksom in Incheon, and the cliffside Duamceodang in Gochang.
The “Rest” edition presents a protagonist experiencing burnout, who escapes daily life to cut watermelon by the gorge in Jogyesan, Suncheon, and rejuvenates by visiting healing spots like Songgwangsa Temple Stay in Suncheon, Namyangju pottery atelier, and Jeju’s Jogeunnoccome Oreum.
The Korea Tourism Organization, a quasi-governmental agency, plans to promote Korea’s charm until the end of the year via global digital channels like YouTube and OTT platforms, targeting potential tourists from 20 key countries including the USA, Japan, and China.
Furthermore, until the 20th of this month, a voting and commenting event is being held on the theme advertisement on the Korean Tourism Integrated Platform VISITKOREA (visitkorea.or.kr) for foreigners under the topic “What do you know about traveling in Korea?”
Han Yeok, Head of the Brand Content Team at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, “This thematic advertisement was designed to inspire interest in Korean travel not only among fans of the Korean wave and Gen Z but also among potential visitors of all age groups,” expressing hopes for experiencing Korea in new and unique ways through different themes tailored to various preferences.
Additionally, the tourism organization plans to introduce a new short-form video series, “KOREA 100,” in line with digital trend shifts.
The KOREA 100 series, packed with 100 diverse recommendations on what to enjoy in Korea, will be released sequentially starting November. Notably, all members of NewJeans, newly appointed as Honorary Ambassadors for Korean Tourism this year, will feature in these videos, delivering the appeal of Korean tourism with stylish visuals and concise, impactful messages.