Visit Korea Committee Activities

K-Travel Bus Tour for Attending Music Bank’s Gyeongju Special Show
K-Travel Bus Tour for Attending Music Bank’s Gyeongju Special Show 33 foreign friends from 16 different countries gathered together for a tour to Gyeongju by the K-Travel Bus in the early morning of Friday, November 18. This tour included attending the KBS music program Music Bank’s Gyeongju Special Show. Though the participants were from different countries, they were all K-Pop fans and thus quickly became friends. They were all laughing together during the entire two-day tour. They are arriving in Gyeongju after a long 4 and a half hour ride! As they left the bus, “WOW” was exclaimed in concert. We could feel the history emanating from the 1,000-year-old ancient city of Gyeongju. We listened to our guide explain about the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. Then we walked under trees radiant with colorful leaves. There were lots of ginkgo trees with yellow leaves on the hills of the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. Everyone enjoyed them as if they were little children. We arrived at the Gyeongju Citizens Stadium to watch the Music Bank show. We witnessed the popularity of K-Pop from a very long line of attendees even before the concert started. We received our admission bracelets from the foreigner ticket exchange booth and finally entered the stadium! However… As soon as we entered, it started to rain. 🙁 Our foreign friends were cheering hard despite the rain as they were seeing close up the K-Pop stars, Twice, EXO, BTS and others, whom they had dreamed about for so long! Well done! The next day we traveled to the Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. Do you see the beautiful colors? Our foreign friends really fell under the charm of the Korean fall scenery throughout the tour. I am sure each took a few hundred photos. 🙂 A group picture taken in front of the Daeungjeon Hall! Everyone exclaimed aloud seeing the old Bulguksa Temple and the intricate architecture of the Silla dynasty. At the entrance of Seokguram, she is writing down her wish on the roof tile. I hope it will help her realize the dream when she returns to home! “We made a lot of fun memories during the two-day trip. :)" They said they had discovered the charm of the Korean countryside away from Seoul through this tour and plan to visit other provincial places in the future. We from the Visit Korea Committee felt great accompanying them throughout the tour! See you again!
Date : 2016/11/25 | Views : 5541
2016–2018 Visit Korea Year Publicized at CITM 2016
2016–2018 Visit Korea Year Publicized at CITM 2016 This is the Shanghai International New Expo Center, where the China International Travel Mart (CITM) is held! It was so a hugely attended event that bore witness to its popularity. You can really tell China is a big country. As an honorary ambassador for the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Years, actor Lee Min-ho was waiting for the visitors at the main booth of the Korean Pavilion. 🙂 We saw his popularity at a peak in China too! Many Chinese were eager to take pictures of him. Inside the Korea Tourism Organization booth! Do you see the leaflets containing well-summarized information about the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year’s campaign and its emblem stickers? Wearing traditional Andong Hahoe masks, the dancers are dancing to a K-pop song in the Korean Pavilion! I am getting excited myself! 🙂 The visitors were especially interested in the emblem stickers. I couldn’t miss out on this opportunity! I explained to them about the various programs conducted by the Visit Korea Committee. The CITM took place in five halls of the Shanghai International New Expo Center. As China is a large country, the event was huge. 🙂 We look forward to seeing more Chinese tourists in Korea, including those we met during the CITM, so that they may experience its rich tourist culture during the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Years.
Date : 2016/11/18 | Views : 5295
Briefing Session on the Outcomes of the Korea Sale FESTA
Briefing Session on the Outcomes of the Korea Sale FESTA A briefing session on the outcomes of the Korea Sale FESTA’s special discount period for foreign visitors was held on November 10 at the Culture Hall of Hyundai Department Store in Apgujeong. The Korea Sale FESTA lasted for 33 days from September 29 to October 31. It is a global festival of shopping, tourism, and culture that includes large-scale discounts, various promotions solely targeted at foreign tourists, and Korean Wave entertainment events! The representatives of the participant companies of the Korea Sale FESTA were filing in one by one. Shall we watch the briefing session on the outcomes of this festival participated by numerous local companies and organizations in distribution, manufacturing, tourism, entertainment, and other various fields? 🙂 The briefing session began with a welcoming address delivered by Secretary-General Han Kyung-ah of the Visit Korea Committee. And it was followed by a brief description on the Korea Sale FESTA and its outcomes. The attendees showed great interest in the outcomes—what kinds of online and offline events had taken place and how many foreigners had participated—as they had served as representatives for their companies during the festival. Next, there was an awards ceremony for the companies that had made great contributions to the success of the Korea Sale FESTA. To find out the greatest contributors, quantitative and qualitative evaluations were conducted based on various criteria! What were the results? A little bit nervous to guess which companies would be winners! The grand prize, “Minister of Culture and Sports Award,” went to Korea Smart Card and Lotte Duty Free. The runner-up prize, “Chairman of the Visit Korea Committee Award,” went to eight companies: Lotte Department Store, E-Mart, Airport Railroad, Shinsegae Duty Free, Etude House, The Face Shop, Jeju Airline, and Asiana Airline. We can’t forget about the special prizes either, right? The representatives of the Passion Award and Promotion Award winners took a commemorative photo together. 🙂 On their way out, the attendees were given another small gift set prepared by the Visit Korea Committee. A cute little tea mug for the upcoming winter and Peperos as it was on the eve of Nov. 11 “Pepero Day”! I hope these gifts were able to convey well enough the committee’s gratitude for their hard labor … The 2016 event is over but it is told that the Korea Sale FESTA will take place regularly, once or twice a year, until 2018 to be positioned as Asia’s premier shopping and tourism festival. I hope that it will continue its success, delivering benefits to more foreign visitors and helping them make some lasting memories! 🙂
Date : 2016/11/18 | Views : 4772
Invitation of Diplomatic Office Employees to K-Travel Bus Tours in Northern Gyeongsang Province and Southern Jeolla Province
Invitation of Diplomatic Office Employees to K-Travel Bus Tours in Northern Gyeongsang Province and Southern Jeolla Province This is a travelogue of a group of diplomatic office employees from various nations who toured Northern Gyeongsang Province and Southern Jeolla Province by the K-Travel Bus. They traveled in Northern Gyeongsang Province from October 27th to the 28th and in Southern Jeolla Province from November 8th to the 9th. The participants were from the diplomatic offices of so many countries, including China, Mongolia, Iraq, Zambia, Indonesia, Japan, Tajikistan, and Angora. Off we go on the K-Travel Bus to Northern Gyeongsang Province and Southern Jeolla Province! - Invitation of Diplomatic Office Employees to K-Travel Bus Tour in Northern Gyeongsang Province (October 27–28) - The first destination was an archery experience field in Yecheon. It was her first time she said, but is it really? The posture is extraordinary! We took a picture with the archery teacher who was so kind to us! We were also able to experience the production of hanji, Korean conventional paper, in Andong. It was amazing to see how these beautiful color paper sheets are made. We ourselves made Hahoe masks with hanji. On the next day, we visited Mungyeongsaejae Pass and a TV drama set. The rain made the scenery look even more dramatic. The foggy Mungyeongsaejae Pass was splendid. We ourselves took the Royal Throne at the drama production set! How do you feel being a king and a queen? - Invitation of Diplomatic Office Employees to K-Travel Bus Tour in Southern Jeolla Province (November 8-9) - The temperature plummeted! Despite the cold weather, the K-Travel Bus carrying diplomatic office employees and their family members departed on the tour of Southern Jeolla Province. Shall we take a group picture before departing? The first destination was Jugnogwon Bamboo Garden in Damyang. We can already feel the fresh air! A shot of the sky from the bamboo forest. Isn’t it just beautiful? The travelers all exclaimed how exquisite it was. After spending a night in Yeosu, we headed for Odongdo Island by cable car. The view of the blue sky and the blue sea made my heart race. Suncheon, our final destination! The field of reeds in the Suncheonman Bay Ecological Park was dazzling. 🙂 It was so pleasing to see the employees of the diplomatic offices enchanted with the tourist destinations of Korea, even with the cold weather. I look forward to introducing the hidden gems of Korea to more foreigners. 🙂
Date : 2016/11/16 | Views : 4935
K-Smile Campaign Takes Autumn Travel Week and Korea Sale FESTA to Yukgeori Market in Cheongju, Northern Chungcheong Province
K-Smile Campaign Takes Autumn Travel Week and Korea Sale FESTA to Yukgeori Market in Cheongju, Northern Chungcheong Province A K-Smile Campaign event was held on October 30 at Yukgeori Market in Cheongju, Northern Chungcheong Province! Notably, this event was held in conjunction with the Autumn Travel Week and Korea Sale FESTA. A diverse group of supporters joined in the activities, including representatives of the Visit Korea Committee, University Students’ National Smile Team, Korea Tourism Organization, Northern Chungcheong Province Government, Cheongju City Government, and Northern Chungcheong Province Tourism Committee, as well as the workers at Yukgeori Market. The atmosphere at the K-Smile Campaign event was as enthusiastic as the list of participants was diverse. Hurray! What beautiful weather! This is Cheongju Yukgeori Market, a place full of traditional Korean warmth and laughter! A quick photo taken before the start of the campaign event. 🙂 Seol Moon-sik, state affairs vice-governor of Northern Chungcheong Province, is shown here encouraging the members of the University Students’ National Smile Team. He conveyed to them his valuable sentiments about how he hoped they would visit and share about the tourist destinations in Northern Chungcheong Province, and that many others would come to visit as a result. 🙂 The campaign event has started in earnest. Everyone is smiling from ear to ear! The University Students’ National Smile Team members participated in the event by holding signs that told about the Visit Korea Year and the K-Smile Campaign. The response from people at the market was extremely encouraging. 🙂 This is the point in the program where cotton candy was shared with visitors to Yukgeori Market to promote Korea Sale FESTA. In fact, the cotton candy was popular with everyone, both young and old. Here are the University Students’ National Smile Team members who joined in today’s campaign! Friends, Yukgeori Market in Cheongju is a fascinating place, isn’t it? Why don’t you drop by a traditional Korean market again sometime, OK? 🙂 The response by market sellers and citizens was outstanding and everyone was satisfied with the results of the campaign event. One could see at Yukgeori Market the unique way that Koreans share their sense of warmth, laughter, and kindness. Wouldn’t it be great if the K-Smile Campaign spreads to all corners of the nation in the near future so that people will be able to feel such laughter and friendliness everywhere in South Korea? 🙂 And we sincerely hope that Yukgeori Market will be re-energized as the #1 traditional market in the nation based on the promises made by merchants to share their best smiles and friendly service with tourists from Korea and overseas who visit Yukgeori Market!
Date : 2016/11/08 | Views : 5238