Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
GKL launches 'Seven Luck Tour Pass' to boost tourist spending in Yongsan
An image of the Seven Luck Tour Pass card / Courtesy of Grand Korea Leisure
By Jung Da-hyun
Grand Korea Leisure (GKL), the state-run operator of the Seven Luck Casino, said it will introduce a new prepaid card named "Seven Luck Tour Pass" in partnership with the Yongsan Tourism Council.
The initiative aims to attract more international tourists to the area and stimulate local businesses by linking casino visitors with nearby attractions, retailers and small merchants.
The Yongsan Tourism Council was established in 2022, following the opening of the Seven Luck Casino at Seoul Dragon City. It brings together five key players — GKL, HDC Shilla Duty Free, I’Park Mall Yongsan, YTN Seoul Tower and Seoul Dragon City — to jointly promote tourism in the district.
The pass will be issued to international visitors who register at the casino. Each recipient receives an initial 10,000 won ($6.79)credit.
When cardholders make purchases at participating Yongsan businesses, partner retailers or designated small merchants, they receive an extra 10,000 won in points per transaction — effectively doubling the value of each purchase and strengthening local spending.
Major partners such as HDC Shilla Duty Free and I’Park Mall Yongsan will also offer tiered benefits depending on spending levels, including prepaid cards, public transportation support and snacks.
The Seven Luck Tour Pass is being launched in collaboration with Orange Square, a tourism-focused tech startup that operates WOWPASS, a prepaid card service for travelers.
"Nearly one million foreign tourists visit Seven Luck Casino every year," said GKL President Yoon Doo-hyun. "We hope this initiative will encourage visitors to explore more of Yongsan and in turn help revitalize local tourism and the district’s economy."