Fans of K-dramas and variety shows are being drawn to South Korea, where they can visit filming locations and enjoy activities featured in their favorite programs. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is expanding tourist routes beyond Seoul to include rural areas and drama filming sites.
Recently, KTO launched tourism programs utilizing intellectual property (IP) from dramas and variety shows. At the Hi-Korea Ground in Seoul, an experiential exhibition connecting over 40 K-dramas with their filming locations was held, while in Hoengseong, 90 foreign participants experienced Korean games and cuisine at the 'Korea Camp.'
Experiential Exhibition Featuring Popular K-Dramas
KTO has partnered with Studio Dragon to host a 'K-Drama Experience Exhibition' at Hi-Korea Ground until November 19. The theme, 'Scenes to Destinations,' encourages visitors to explore the actual locations featured in the dramas.
The exhibition showcases works from Studio Dragon, including 'Goblin,' 'Mr. Sunshine,' 'Hotel Del Luna,' 'Crash Landing on You,' 'Yumi's Cells,' 'Vincenzo,' 'Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,' 'Our Blues,' 'Queen of Tears,' and 'The Chef of the Tyrant.' It features memorable quotes, iconic scenes, soundtracks, and props from the shows.
Interactive programs allow visitors to type out lines from the dramas to create their own scripts and collect postcards and stickers of famous quotes and scenes. By scanning collected items at kiosks, visitors receive personalized travel recommendations for regional destinations, along with tickets containing travel information.
KTO is also collaborating with global online travel agencies to promote a 'K-Drama Filming Location Travel Exhibition,' enabling visitors to purchase travel packages on-site that lead to the filming locations.
Korea Camp Brings Together Participants from 50 Countries
The tourism program, inspired by variety shows, attracted participants to Hoengseong, Gangwon Province. On September 19, KTO and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hosted a foreign experience event linked to the 'Korea Camp' advertisement, which was released in collaboration with the Netflix variety show 'Yoo Jae-suk Camp' in June.
Upon opening applications, 1,219 individuals from 50 countries applied, with 90 participants from 38 countries selected to visit the rural experience village in Hoengseong, a region facing population decline.
Instead of traditional sightseeing, the program focused on immersing participants in Korean culture. They enjoyed local cuisine, participated in tug-of-war and traditional games, and experienced a K-BBQ dining mission along with K-pop dance performances.
Gabriel Neox from Brazil expressed, "Experiencing the games and culture I saw in the advertisement with my friends made me feel like I was truly at a Korean camp." Nigerian participant Guta Wajira Gemetchu added, "Enjoying the sports day and K-food in Hoengseong made me feel closer to Korea, and I want to explore other regions next time."
KTO plans to send participants a 'digital time capsule' containing photos and videos from the event in December, encouraging them to share their experiences on social media to promote the event internationally. The 'Korea Camp' advertisement released in June has garnered over 400 million views.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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