BTS’ Jin Leads Global Tourism Push as Seoul Turns Up K-Pop Charm

At first glance, it might seem like just another music video. But Seoul’s latest promotional clip released on Thursday, featuring K-pop superstar Jin from the popular band BTS is part of a series designed to showcase the Korean capital’s tourism potential.

The first video in the three-part series, aptly titled “Love,” captures the romantic essence of Seoul. It begins with Jin playing music on a turntable and highlights popular dating spots like Ikseon-dong and Namsan Seoul Tower.

The second segment, “Inspire,” scheduled for release on September 5 will explore Seoul’s distinctive aspects. This includes the city’s fashion, culinary delights, hiking, and meditation experiences. The final installment, “Fun,” premiering on September 12, introduces new attractions like Seouldal a moon-shaped helium balloon ride, and various other activities portraying a vibrant, entertaining side of Seoul.

To engage viewers, an online event invites participants to comment on the videos released on Visit Seoul’s YouTube and social media channels. Viewers can enter a lucky draw for prizes, including a one-night stay at a five-star hotel and a fine dining experience at a top Korean restaurant.

K-Pop’s Role in Tourism

Last month, South Korea appointed the K-pop girl group NewJeans as its tourism ambassador. The five-member group joins a list of K-pop megastars, including BTS and EXO, and global icons like Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae and footballer Son Heung-min.

K-pop’s influence extends beyond South Korea. Dubai’s recent “Dubai, Who’s Ready” campaign features South Korean actors Park Shin-hye and Park Hyung-sik, showcasing Dubai’s attractions through their experiences. Similarly, Switzerland Tourism teamed up with Korean actress Lee Si-young to promote Switzerland as a holiday destination.

Released on Monday, the teaser for the Soul video featuring Jin raked in 2.46 million views within three days of its release, according to Seoul Tourism Organization.

Jin’s Seoul Campaign

The Seoul campaign featuring Jin includes two Fake Out-of-Home (FOOH) films — the new form of reality-bending media — and three short clips, each presenting different aspects of what makes the city shine. These promotional movies will also appear on prominent outdoor media platforms in New York’s Time Square and Jakarta.

Additionally, the campaigns will also air on global networks, including BBC, reaching audiences across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

“We aim to elevate the ‘Seoul, My Soul’ city slogan globally, highlighting the city’s diverse appeal through the themes of Love, Inspire and Fun,” a Seoul Tourism Organization representative said.

South Korea’s Tourism Numbers

In July, South Korea welcomed 1.41 million foreign tourists, a 36.5% increase from last year, according to figures released by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) on Thursday.

This represents 97% of the tourist numbers seen in July 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic. From January to July this year, 9.11 million visitors traveled to South Korea, marking a 67% rise from the same period last year and reaching 92% of the 2019 levels.

China accounted for the largest share of tourists, with 2.68 million visitors, followed by Japan with 1.67 million, Taiwan with 830,000, and the U.S. with 760,000.

Notably, U.S. tourist numbers rose by over 24% in July compared to the same month in 2019, while visitors from China and Japan recovered to 88% of their July 2019 levels.