Korea tourism festival to be held in Frankfurt

Stories of Korean culture and tourism are set to captivate Germany at a major outdoor festival held in Frankfurt this weekend, in commemoration of the 140 years of diplomatic bond between the two nations, the Korea Tourism Organization announced Monday.

Kicking off on Friday, the three-day festival will unfold at the Rossmarkt Square in Frankfurt. The festival is held in connection to the renowned Museum Embankment Festival, also known as Museumsufer Fest, an annual celebration of art and culture in Germany that attracts approximately 3 million visitors each year.

Dubbed "Your Korea Festival," the tourism event will showcase various promotional booths that have been jointly organized by various local Korean governments and private tourism agencies.

Guests will have the opportunity to engage with the worlds of K-pop, K-beauty, K-food and K-travel.

Attendees can savor the delights of Korean bunsik (fast food) and makgeolli, while also indulging in skin care and makeup demonstrations. K-pop random play dance sessions -- one of the highlights of the festival -- are set to take place on Saturday, followed by a 90-minute K-pop dance class scheduled for Sunday.

Against the backdrop of the festival, stories of iconic landmarks and must-visit spots of Korea chosen by the KTO will take center stage, offering visitors to get a glimpse into the country's heritage.

Taking into consideration the cultural phenomenon of a "gap year," a period encouraged in Germany between high school graduation and college entry that offers students the freedom to engage in social activities and travels while pondering their future career paths, the festival has curated a special focus on gap year tourism products. The new tourism package is to offer enticing travel opportunities that blend seamlessly with educational journeys for foreign students, according to the KTO.

Following the pandemic, Germany has recorded an impressive rebound in the resumption of international flights among European nations, according to Eun Yu-ri, head of the KTO's Frankfurt branch. Eun highlighted that the KTO is dedicated to crafting tailored travel destination programs for German tourists, to keep up with growing interest in all things K-culture.