Kenny G

By Yun Suh-young

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) will appoint renowned saxophone artist Kenny G as an honorary ambassador on Wednesday.

It plans to attract tourists by promoting Korean culture in the U.S. market with the help of American artists such as Kenny G.

“Because the American market is so large it’s not easy to get in touch with the people and promote Korean tourism. We will utilize the popularity of famous stars and musicians such as Kenny G to promote Korean culture,” said an official at the KTO.

“Kenny G seems to have a great interest in our country. He has held a lot of concerts here and has lots of Korean fans. He welcomed our invitation to become our honorary ambassador.”

The KTO’s overseas branches plan to invite Kenny G to their events and boost awareness on Korea.

With the massive popularity of Korean rapper Psy’s “Gangnam Style” across the globe, interest in the nation’s culture is also growing worldwide.

The KTO seeks to use this timing as an opportunity to promote Korean culture. It plans to carry out active marketing in America as Psy’s song first gained popularity there.

Kenny G’s real name is Kenneth Bruce Gorelick. He has numerous hits well known to Korean fans such as “Loving You” and “Going Home.”

He won a Grammy Award in 1993 with “Forever in Love.” Since his first visit in 1995, he has played more than 10 concerts in Korea.

While visiting this time, Kenny G will meet with members of the Network of Korean American Leadership (NetKAL) at the Summit & Gala Festival.