Visit Korea Committee Activities

Welcoming Event for First Foreign Guest to 2016 Korea Sale FESTA
Welcoming Event for First Foreign Guest to 2016 Korea Sale FESTA We heard the news that a welcoming event is about to taking place at 00:00 on Saturday, October 1 for the first foreign visitor to Korea during the 2016 Korea Sale FESTA. To see that significant moment, we arrived at Incheon International Airport on TGIF day! In celebration of the Korea Sale FESTA’s beginning, the event opened to welcome the first foreign comer to Incheon International Airport with the participation of Minister of Culture, Sports Cho Yun-seon and officials from the Korea Tourism Organization, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and other agencies in the field of tourism. It’s 21:00! (Three hours left. So heart-beating!!) Everybody is busy arranging the event. Here are guides dressed in beautiful hanbok and even Pororo, the main character ambassador of the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year!! At Arrivals Hall, 10 members of the University Student National Smile Team joined in carrying out a kindness culture campaign activity targeted at workers at the airport. Not only to the workers, but to foreign visitors too, did they give bright smiles and gifts. 🙂 Before the welcoming event for the first foreign comer to Korea, the participating officials were discussing how to develop the Korean tourism industry. “Tourism is a momentum to vitalize local economies and, on a broader level, the whole nation’s economy,” emphasized Minister Cho. “The most essential is cooperation between all the sectors of tourism and organizations therein.” Secretary-General Han Kyung-ah of the committee remarked on the K-Smile Campaign as a key player to lead the qualitative growth of the Korean tourism industry, saying, “Through the K-Smile Campaign, we’ll continue making efforts to help Korea leave a good impression as a kind and warm country on foreign visitors and thus to render ‘a Korea where to want to visit again’.” Even at the late night could I feel a great passion at the discussion for the Korean tourism industry, as if even a camera shutter sound might disturb them. 🙂 Now! Only little time is left until the first visitors’ arrival at Korea. The first ones were a Chinese couple arriving at 00:20 from Beijing. Minister Cho presented them with flower bouquets and a bright smile, while the first comers smiled bashfully at this unexpected luck. 🙂 To the couple, Minister Cho herself handed a popular set of Korean products consisting of cosmetics and a ticket for experiencing Korean dishes. And then a commemorative photo was taken. How about making an energetic shout all together to call the “Korea Sale FESTA”? (Starting from the left) Executive Vice President of Korean Air Ma Won, Ms. Dong-Yu the first foreign visitor to Korea, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cho Yoon-seon, Mr. Kang Weilong a fellow traveler with the first visitor to Korea, CEO of the Korea Tourism Organization Jung Chang-soo, Vice President of Asiana Airlines Cho Kyu-young, Chairman of the Korea Tourism Association Kim Hong-ju. And then a commemorative shot with members of the University Students’ and Workers’ National Smile Teams! (Members of the University Students’ and Workers’ National Smile Teams, the first foreign visitor couple to Korea, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cho Yoon-seon [fifth from the left]) Finally, a shot taken with the staff members of the Visit Korea Committee participating in this welcoming event from beginning to end. In October, a festival mood will go on over the whole month in harmony of shopping, tourism and the Korea Wave. From this event on, we’ll do our best to present foreign visitors to Korea with more fun and exciting memories. 🙂 We hope the Korea Sale FESTA will be a great success!
Date : 2016/10/10 | Views : 6296
K-Travel Bus’s Event Tour Together with Changwon K-Pop World Festival!
K-Travel Bus’s Event Tour Together with Changwon K-Pop World Festival! On October 30th, the K-Travel Bus left for the Changwon K-pop World Festival, taking foreign K-pop lovers to its place. This trip was in association with the K-Pop World Festival taking place in Changwon. We could fully experience specific local features that are never found in Seoul and enjoyed K-pop too. Let’s start the story of the overnight bus tour! Even the blustery weather couldn’t quench the fans’ affection toward K-Pop. On arrival in Chang-dong, they visited SangSangGil and experienced crafting at Art Village. Everybody was absorbed in making a brooch as would it be the only one for him/her in the world. 🙂 Soon after, they moved to the House of Changwon. Sitting in a circle at the house, everybody experienced a tea ceremony. When green tea and lotus flower tea smelled on a rainy day at an atmospheric hanok, I got fully refreshed. Now! Our long-awaited K-Pop World Festival has eventually begun! Despite the rain, the sports stadium was completely filled with the audience! The contest winner was Britaney Chanel from the US, who singed Ailee’s U&I. (Clapping) Next, a celebrating performance was delivered by the famous idol singers BTS, TWICE, and EXID, thrilling the audience. The K-pop fans’ roar constantly echoed over the more than three hours of the festival from 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm! We were once again impressed by foreign fans’ strong passion and love for K-pop. 🙂 Next day, we looked into Jinhae NFRDI Environment Eco-Park, listening to a friendly explanation by a cultural tour guide. This is the last course of the overnight bus tour. This is a long-historical street of Jinhae Gunhang Village. The participants might already burn up all their energy at the K-Pop World Festival. But surprisingly they were listening very carefully to the guide’s explanation! K-Travel Bus’s event tour together with the Changwon K-Pop World Festival! It was a very short journey but will remain a precious memory to us. 🙂 Please give your affection for the K-Travel Bus with K-pop.
Date : 2016/10/10 | Views : 6043
Opening Ceremony of 2016 Korea Sale FESTA
Opening Ceremony of 2016 Korea Sale FESTA An opening ceremony is taking place for the 2016 Korea Sale FESTA that will be open throughout October! The emblem of the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year is visible here and there. In particular, the TSC (Tourist Service Center) has appeared at the place! The Tourist Service Center is the Visit Korea Committee’s innovative service that the committee itself visits travelers to provide more information in a very active way. Not just information about tourism, but other key needs of tourists are also filled up here, including interpretation, free Internet access, and cell phone charging. It’s like a whole gift set! (See more: http://vkc.or.kr/k-smile-campaign/mobile/) Beside that, the COEX’s inside and outside fairgrounds were densely populated with the booths of different companies categorized by K-Fashion, K-Beauty, K-Brand, K-Culture, and K-Food. The diversely arranged foods and activities perfectly matched the reputation of the “Shopping and Tourism Festival.” It looked like a microcosm of the 2016 Korea Sale FESTA. A stage was set up on Yeongdong Street. It was to be used for the KBS live program “Music Bank”! Though the performance was scheduled at 6 pm, the audience seats already got full soon after admission was allowed at 4 pm! There were really many foreign K-pop fans, as well as Koreans. I felt the noticeable power of the Korean Wave. The final session was an opening performance where the festival mood was heated up by 26 participating teams including SHINee, 2PM, Girl's Day, and AOA. Thus did the 2016 Korea Sale FESTA open with great fanfare in the cheer of the Korean and foreign people crowding Yeongdong Street. I hope that everybody makes an unforgettable memory during this grand event mingled with shopping, tourism, and festivals in October.
Date : 2016/10/10 | Views : 6054
Opening Ceremony for 2016 Welcome Week for World Tourists
Opening Ceremony for 2016 Welcome Week for World Tourists Have you heard about the Welcome Week for World Tourists? In line with the peak season for foreign tourists who visit Korea, a variety of services to support tourist activities are being provided in the special tourist zones of Seoul and other popular destinations. Following the previous welcome week in May of this year, this welcome week (which runs for eight days to include the Fridays from September 20 to October 7) is being held again in October. AND! SO! THAT! MEANS!... We have news for you today about the opening ceremony held at 2 pm on Thursday, September 29. 🙂 The 2016 Welcoming Week Opening Ceremony was held at the main store of Lotte Duty Free in Sogong-Dong. (Starting from the left in the first row of the photo) Jihyo of TWICE, Lotte Duty Free CEO Jang Seon-Wook, Leeteuk of Super Junior, Seoul Tourism Association Chairman Nam Sang-Man, Seoul Vice-Mayor I for Administrative Affairs Liu Gyoung-gee, Tzuyu of TWICE, Head of the Marketing Division of Lotte Duty Free Kim Bo-Joon, and Visit Korea Committee Secretary-General Han Kyung-Ah The 2016 Welcoming Week Opening Ceremony was held at the main store of Lotte Duty Free in Sogong-Dong. (Starting from the left in the first row of the photo) Jihyo of TWICE, Lotte Duty Free CEO Jang Seon-Wook, Leeteuk of Super Junior, Seoul Tourism Association Chairman Nam Sang-Man, Seoul Vice-Mayor I for Administrative Affairs Liu Gyoung-gee, Tzuyu of TWICE, Head of the Marketing Division of Lotte Duty Free Kim Bo-Joon, and Visit Korea Committee Secretary-General Han Kyung-Ah Do you see the huge crowds of people? The Korea Wave can be felt everywhere all the time! They arrived at the Welcome Message Wall. The photo wall covered in pretty smiles can be seen at the back. ^-^ The major VIPs posted messages first. Then the citizens with Super Junior wrote out their own welcome messages. 🙂 You can see responses provided to the question of “What does Seoul mean to me?”. These include things like “treasure trove” and “dream.” What kind of a place is Seoul to you? People find themselves with a smile just from thinking about South Korea! We hope that you remember Korea for a long time as a place you want to visit again. 🙂 Not only are information booths being operated throughout the welcome week in Jongno, Jung-gu, Yongsan, Gangnam, Mapo, and Seodaemun, but a lot of activities are being provided within these booths for foreigners to enjoy. Don’t miss this season! Or this moment!
Date : 2016/10/07 | Views : 5833
A Sketch on the K-Smile Campaign Event to Celebrate 500 Days Until the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games
A Sketch on the K-Smile Campaign Event to Celebrate 500 Days Until the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games <The K-Smile Campaign Event to Celebrate 500 Days Until the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games> In spite of all the rain on Tuesday, Sep. 27, the K-Smile Campaign held an event at Yeouido Hangang Park to wish for a successful PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games! ★ Of course, the members of the University Student National Smile Team, who are symbols of friendliness and smiles, also graced us with their presence. 🙂 A variety of games and other programs were prepared for the day’s K-Smile event, and these included a large coloring wall, a jukebox playing the K-Smile Campaign song, Pledges of Kindness, a game wheel event, and face painting and tattoos. Shall we go take a look at the scene of all this action, where the enthusiasm of the participants overcame the dreariness of the rain? Getting double enjoyment from the K-Smile Campaign. All ready after getting sticker tattoos of the K-Smile Campaign symbol, as well as miniaturized versions of the Olympic mascots Bandibi and Suhorang on both checks and the back of the hands! (How nice!) “Hey guys, I’m going to color up to here, so you’d better not cross this line!” These friends are caught up in the fun of painting the large coloring wall! They must already be excited thinking about what it will look like when it’s done? Hold on! Everybody coming to the K-Smile Campaign booth needs to make his/her Pledge of Kindness. Nobody’s forgotten to promise that they will welcome our foreign friends to Korea with friendliness and a smile, right? The K-Smile Campaign song is so catchy that just humming through the melody once will cause a person to keep singing it over and over! - Korea’s smiles↗ make↗ the world↗ smile↗ - K-Smile ♩♪♩♬ Don’t worry if you’re one of those who still haven’t heard the song. It’s freely available from the K-Smile Campaign’s microsite at http://www.k-smile.org. Once you’ve taken in the campaign song, then the next thing to do is to step up to the “I Am the King of Kind Singers” game where you answer a quiz on the lyrics of the campaign song! Take a quiz and get a prize. It’s like killing two birds with one stone! Or shall we say, “two gaps are stopped with one bush”? ♥ We’ve had so much fun already. You mean there’s more to enjoy? (No way!) Let’s check out this novel DID (Digital Information Display) and get a prize! The K-Smile Campaign kit has everything, including a super-soft neck pillow, a travel pouch, and a luggage tag! (I’d like to do it, too!! Me too, please!) For other fascinating programs such as the “Spin the Wheel Around and Around” game too, the line to wait for a turn long stretched out of the booth, reportedly. ★ Things were so busy that the lights of the K-Smile Campaign booth are even on in the evening. Everybody is fully aware that they have to put into practice their resolve to make Korea a place that people will want to visit again for the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games, as well as the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year, right? Thanks to your enthusiastic participation, the K-Smile Campaign event could be even more meaningful! Goodbye, see you later!
Date : 2016/10/06 | Views : 5694