Gangnam opens tourist information center

Psy’s hit song and video “Gangnam Style” has turned Gangnam District, Korea’s epicenter of fashion, business, and beauty, into a tourist destination.

In response to a rising tide of tourists who want to experience Gangnam firsthand, the district office has launched an information center for international tourists.

The center, near Hyundai Department Store in Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul, was inaugurated Wednesday with a ceremony attended by government officials and K-pop stars such as Super Junior’s Eun-hyuk, Sistar’s Hyo-rin and the boy band Exo.

The Gangnam Tourist Information Center, with a total floor area of 820 square meters (8,826 square feet), has a One-Stop Tourist Information Center and Medical Tour Center on the first floor and a K-Wave Experience Zone on the second.

The district office estimates that more than two million tourists visit Gangnam annually.

At the One-Stop Tourist Information Center, people can get access to information on Seoul and Gangnam’s tourist attractions in English, Chinese and Japanese.

The Medical Tour Center introduces foreign visitors to specialized hospitals and treatment programs in Gangnam, such as Korean traditional medicine, cosmetic surgery and aesthetic dermatology.

In the K-Wave Experience Zone, tourists interested in Hallyu, or the Korean wave of popular culture, can see a drama set, try on costumes and take pictures.

BY KWON SANG-SOO, KWON SO-YEON [sakwon80@joongang.co.kr]