A representative of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in Vietnam said on 21/7 that South Korea's tourism ambassadors are currently honorary and chosen by KTO headquarters. The ambassadors sign one- to two-year contracts and are typically singers or actors with influence in South Korea and globally.
In addition, KTO branches worldwide can choose honorary ambassadors who are influential Koreans in their respective countries. For example, in Vietnam, national football team coach Kim Sang-sik was selected as South Korea's tourism ambassador in June. However, ambassadors chosen by KTO branches often don't have as many activities as those in South Korea.
Meanwhile, ambassadors in South Korea often make a significant mark in promoting tourism. In July 2024, the girl group NewJeans was appointed as honorary tourism ambassadors for South Korea, aiming to target global tourists in their 20s and 30s. Statistics show that among foreign visitors to South Korea in 2023, 35.6% were under 30, and 84% were independent travelers.
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A photo of NewJeans was displayed at Incheon Airport to promote South Korean tourism during their time as ambassadors. Photo: News1 |
A photo of NewJeans was displayed at Incheon Airport to promote South Korean tourism during their time as ambassadors. Photo: News1
Furthermore, according to Nate, the top reason tourists are interested in South Korea is "exposure to Hallyu content (movies, music, Korean culture)" at 32.1%. Therefore, NewJeans was chosen to implement a tourism campaign targeting the younger generation, a group that accounts for one-third of international tourists.
Four promotional videos featuring NewJeans, themed "Street," "Night," "Adventure," and "Rest," have garnered approximately 300 million views since their release a year ago, demonstrating the success of leveraging the popularity of Korean idols to stimulate tourism demand. Before NewJeans, the KTO appointed stars like Lee Jung-jae (2023), the lead actor in the Squid Game series, and the globally renowned group BTS in 2022.
The 2023 South Korean tourism advertisement "Challenge Korea - Lee Jung-jae" achieved a total of 540 million views globally. Thanks to this appeal, in February 2024, South Korea's international tourism promotion YouTube channel, "Imagine Your Korea," became the first national tourism organization (NTO) channel in the world to reach one million subscribers.
According to the report "The Impact of Hallyu Content Exports on Inbound Tourism" published in the "2024 Finance Forum, May issue" by the Korea Institute of Public Finance and Tax (KIPF), Hallyu content exports have a significant correlation with the increase in foreign tourists.
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Lee Jung-jae in Squid Game. Photo: Vanity Fair |
Lee Jung-jae in Squid Game. Photo: Vanity Fair
KIPF's analysis revealed that when the export value of Hallyu television programs increases by 1%, the number of foreign tourists increases by 0.176%. For the music industry, for every 1% increase in album exports, the number of foreign tourists rises by 0.074%.
According to a Q4 2023 survey by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, 31.9% of foreign tourists said they became interested in traveling to South Korea after "exposure to Hallyu content," the highest percentage among the reasons. In 2018, the Hyundai Research Institute estimated that BTS contributed to attracting an average of 796,000 foreign tourists annually.
In early July, according to Allkpop, NewJeans's posters at Incheon Airport were taken down and replaced with images of IU, the female lead in the popular film "Dream." While there has been no official announcement, many South Korean social media users believe IU is the next honorary tourism ambassador.
"IU is the best star South Korea has," one user commented. "This is IU's year." Meanwhile, many also believe BTS will return as ambassadors.
Hoai Anh
