BTS members return to roles as Seoul's tourism ambassadors in new video

Social Affairs

Published: 10 Sep. 2020, 18:48 Updated: 10 Sep. 2020, 19:48

BTS members return to roles as Seoul's tourism ambassadors in new video

A poster released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday features BTS members promoting the Korean capital. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Global phenomenon BTS will be featured in a promotional video of Seoul that’s scheduled to be released online Friday at 5 p.m.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government dropped the news in a Thursday press release, saying all seven members will be shown in the video introducing various tourist attractions of the Korean capital.

The clip, which is one minute and 50 seconds long, will be simultaneously uploaded on the official YouTube (www.youtube.com/visitseoul), Facebook (www.facebook.com/VisitSeoul/) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/visitseoul_official/) accounts of the Seoul Tourism Organization, the city said.

The Seoul city government continued in the release that the video, themed “See You in Seoul,” was designed to convey a hopeful message to all foreigners who can’t visit Seoul this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, and wish Seoul will be their first travel destination once international tourism resumes.

Each member of the boy band will take viewers on a virtual journey through Seoul based on a different theme, with member RM covering “Old but New,” Suga “Recharge,” V “Getaway,” J-Hope “Exciting Moments,” Jin “City Break,” Jungkook “Scenic Nature” and Jimin “Local Life.”

Seven teaser videos led by each member have been gradually revealed since Sept. 4 via the Seoul Tourism Organization’s YouTube, Facebook and Instagram accounts, which altogether have amassed over 24.7 million views and 23,000 comments so far, the city government said.

BTS has annually appeared in Seoul’s promotional videos since 2017, when the stars were tapped as the Korean capital’s honorary tourism ambassadors.

A poster released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday features BTS members promoting the Korean capital. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

A Seoul Metropolitan Government official said Thursday that the singers have shown “a strong will” to keep serving as Seoul tourism ambassadors “even after they’ve become global stars,” which is how the city government was able to collaborate with BTS this year as well.

“The latest promotional video reflects the love BTS members hold for Seoul,” said Joo Yong-tae, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Tourism and Sports Bureau.

“We hope people who miss Seoul think of the video as our big gift, and we hope worldwide Hallyu [Korean Wave] fans who feel exhausted by the Covid-19 [pandemic] feel hope and comfort” after watching it, Joo said.

“Everything’s at a halt right now, but when the Covid-19 [pandemic] ebbs and people start to travel again, we hope people around the world would visit Seoul first.”

BY LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]