Tokyo turns K-razy as K-tourism roadshow arrives with food, beauty and K-pop

Food & Travel

Published: 22 Mar. 2024, 12:39 Updated: 22 Mar. 2024, 13:32

Tokyo turns K-razy as K-tourism roadshow arrives with food, beauty and K-pop

An event held in Germany by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization as part of the Korea Visit Year initiative. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

The Korean government’s K-tourism Roadshow has made its stop in Japan.

Korean food trucks, beauty salon booths, K-pop dance performances, and a “talk show” hosted by actor Bae In-hyuk will take place in the Yebisu Garden Place in Tokyo over the upcoming weekend.

The K-tourism Roadshow is an event hosted and organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, as one of the many events planned for Visit Korea Year 2023-2024. It aims to bring tourists to Korea by showcasing the country’s traditional and contemporary culture. It will take place in 25 regions globally this year, according to the Ministry of Culture.

Actor Cha Eun-woo as ambassador for the Visit Korea Year initiative [KOREA TOURISM ORGANIZATION]

The roadshow in Japan started on Tuesday and will end on Sunday. Another roadshow is slated to take place in Sapporo in May and in Nagoya and Osaka in August.

The March roadshow kicked off in Fukuoka on Tuesday with a seminar that introduced Korean tourist destinations and events to Japanese travel businesses and a special performance by traditional singer Song So-hee. Boy band NCT Wish introduced Korean tourist attractions and delicacies and performed to a crowd of 15,000 at the Fureai Plaza on Wednesday.

Over the weekend, the Yebisu Garden Place in Tokyo will bustle with activities that aim to accommodate 50,000 members of the Japanese public.

Actor Bae from MBC drama series “The Story of Park's Marriage Contract” will introduce drama filming locations as the host of the “Korean-wave celebrity talk show” over the two days. The National Gugak Center will hold Korean traditional music performances.

“Japan has 10 three-day holidays that cross over with weekends this year,” Jang Mi-ran, second vice minister of culture, sports, and tourism, said. “I will actively promote Korea to the Japanese younger generation as the closest overseas destination they can enjoy in the span of the three days.”

BY KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]