Visit Korea Year campaign

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Thursday announced plans to attract both local and overseas tourists for the Visit Korea Year 2023-24 campaign, hoping to turn Korea into an Asian tourism powerhouse.

The tourism campaign will not only be an opportunity to enjoy Korean culture, including food, K-pop, cosmetics and esports, but it will also be a chance to experience the lesser-known sides of the country in provincial areas and towns.

One of the campaign's most notable programs is the “K-Culture Travel Events 100,” a list of Korean festivals of various cultural areas, including the arts, content, nature, sports, games and food.

Major events include the 2024 Welcome Daehakro, Kiaf, Frieze Seoul, the Gyeongju International Marathon and various film festivals.

The events will ensure that travelers can fully enjoy Korean culture throughout the year, according to the Culture Ministry official.

The Korea Grand Sale 2024, which kicked off Jan. 11 and will run through Feb. 29, offers multiple promotions for overseas visitors in various areas, including flights, shopping, travel, accommodation and other services.

More than 1,650 companies opened online and offline booths to offer promotions for foreign nationals who are in South Korea during the festival period.

The official website of the Korea Grand Sale -- in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese -- provides detailed information on individual promotions and travel tips.

Starting from May to October, a K-pop-themed event, “K-pop Playground” (working title), will be held at major tourist destinations like Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, allowing die-hard K-pop fans to enjoy pop-up stores and random play dance sessions -- a program in which multiple Korean songs are played back to back, to which dancers who are familiar with the song’s choreography can join the stage and dance along.

June will be a perfect time to visit Korea for travelers who are interested in the Korean beauty business.

Hoping to meet the rising demand for South Korean cosmetics, the Culture Ministry plans to offer large-scale discounts on fashion, beauty, wellness and medical services via the Korea Beauty Festival.

Seoul will host this year’s “Hallyu Festival” in October, allowing visitors to enjoy performances by their beloved K-pop artists and experience Korean culture by participating in various hands-on activities offered at areas around the concert venue.

Details, including the lineup of artists, the location of the concert and the exact dates, are yet to be decided.