South Korea Adds NewJeans as Tourism Ambassadors to Ride K-Pop ‘Hallyu’ Wave

South Korea has announced the K-pop girl group NewJeans as its tourism ambassador.

South Korea’s global cultural influence, known as the Hallyu wave, has profoundly impacted its tourism industry. This surge in popularity, driven by Korean pop culture, entertainment, music, TV dramas, and movies, has significantly attracted younger international visitors to the country.

Formed in 2022, the five-member band of Danielle, Minji, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein has quickly risen to prominence, making history as the fastest non-Japanese act to headline Tokyo Dome in less than two years since its debut. The girls also became the first K-pop female group to win Group of the Year at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards.

NewJeans will now join the list of K-pop megastars BTS, Squid Game star and Emmy-winner Lee Jung-jae, K-pop sensation EXO, Premier League football star Son Heung-min as well as singer and actor Cha Eun-woo, who have previously served as tourism brand ambassadors.

The Korean tourism ministry aims to capitalize on the band’s influence among younger audiences.

The Korean Wave

Of the 11 million foreign tourists that Korea welcomed in 2023, nearly 4 million were aged 30 or younger, according to data from the Korea Tourism Data Lab. A study by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute found that 32% of these young tourists traveled to Korea primarily to experience Hallyu (Korean wave) content. This trend marks a notable increase from 2013, when only 27% of visitors were under 30.

The global appeal of Korean culture has not only lowered the average age of visitors but has also diversified the demographic profile. Visitors from Japan and China dominate this younger age group, with significant numbers also coming from France, the U.K, Germany, the Netherlands, Mexico and U.S. As a result, South Korea has tailored its promotional campaigns to target this specific age group.

Earlier this year, the government announced that it would be launching a K-Culture visa, an embrace of K-pop as a powerful cultural export and an essential element of the Korean Wave.

The NewJeans Tourism Campaign

South Korea’s new tourism campaign, focusing on the global 2030 generation, aims to highlight unique, local experiences. The campaign, featuring NewJeans, showcases a theme of “Koreans’ Korea,” emphasizing authentic, local perspectives.

The video that takes a dig at “same old boring itineraries suggested by AI” shows travelers how “Koreans are truly having fun these days.”

The promotional videos, launched on the Korea Tourism Organization’s YouTube channel, highlight gourmet food and local experiences. These videos will also be displayed on billboards across 12 major cities worldwide, including New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Bangkok, Dubai, and Mexico City. Additionally, short-form videos will feature prominently in Paris during the upcoming Olympics.

The Hallyu wave is so strong that the Korea Tourism Organization has curated a list of 51 specialized tourist destinations, focusing on major Hallyu-themed attractions. These include sites featured in K-pop music videos, popular dramas, and popular series, such as Vincenzo and Hometown Cha Cha Cha.

Korea’s Tourism Numbers

In 2023, more than 11 million tourists visited South Korea, a 245% rise compared to 2022. The majority of these were Japanese and Chinese tourists.

The country aims to attract 20 million tourists and achieve $24.5 billion in tourism revenue by the end of 2024.

Between January and April 2024, South Korea welcomed 4.9 million international tourists, an 87% increase from the same period in the previous year.

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) expects international visitor spending in 2024 to reach 2019 levels, nearly KRW 32 trillion ($24 billion), up from KRW 24 trillion ($18 billion) last year.

WTTC forecasts that by 2034, the tourism sector will significantly boost South Korea’s annual GDP contribution to KRW 131 trillion ($100 billion), accounting for nearly 5% of the national economy. The sector will likely employ over 1.8 million people, highlighting its role as a cornerstone of the national workforce and supporting 6.8% of all jobs in the country.