Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Weifang, 'world capital of kites,' kicks off tourism push in Seoul
Gao Chang, front row fifth from left, Weifang City culture and tourism bureau director, and Lee Seung-bok, front row fourth from left, Seoul city council member, pose with tourism officials from China and Korea during an inbound tourism event in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Korea China Talent Development Institute
By Lee Hae-rin
Weifang, a major city in China’s Shandong Province known as the "world capital of kites," brought its vibrant culture and craft to Seoul this week in a bid to attract more Korean travelers.
The city’s culture and tourism bureau hosted its first inbound tourism promotion event in Korea at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel on Monday, signaling a full-scale push to tap into the postpandemic rebound in international travel.
The event drew around 100 participants from the Seoul Metropolitan Council, Seoul Tourism Association, major travel agencies, airlines, cultural groups and local media, underscoring growing industry interest in emerging Chinese destinations under the new visa-free policies.
Led by Gao Qiang, director of Weifang’s culture and tourism bureau, the Chinese delegation introduced themed itineraries covering cultural experiences, ecological and wellness retreats, rural homestays and the city’s signature kite and lantern traditions.
A live indoor kite performance showcased Weifang’s identity, while a joint concert by Chinese guqin (traditional string intrument) master Ma Rongsong and Korean daegeum (bamboo flute) virtuoso Jo Cheol-hyeon symbolized the two countries’ cultural exchange.
International kite festival in Weifang, China / Courtesy of Weifang Municipal Government
Weifang has hosted an international kite festival every April since 1984, drawing enthusiasts and tourists with large-scale flight shows and folk performances. The city is also home to what it promotes as the world’s largest kite museum, positioning the festival as a centerpiece of its global tourism branding. Last year, Weifang received approximately 84.9 million domestic visitors, solidifying its status as a key tourism hub within China.
The city highlighted local specialties such as meat buns, chicken and duck noodle soup, and simmered offal with flatbread, along with affordable seasonal fruits that officials recommended for budget-conscious Korean travelers. Travel influencers who recently visited the city praised its natural landscape, affordable street food options, substantial museum offerings and warm hospitality.
Officials emphasized Weifang’s excellent access: It is only a 30-minute high-speed rail ride from Qingdao, a city with about 41 daily flights from Korea and reachable in less than 90 minutes by air, and roughly two hours from Beijing, making multicity travel itineraries practical.
Yunmen Mountain in Weifang, China / Courtesy of Weifang Municipal Government
Key attractions highlighted included the famed Taihe and Yunmen mountains, Qingzhou Ancient City and Yangjiabu Folk Culture Village — destinations appealing to Korean travelers seeking slower-paced routes.
During the event, tourism operators and cultural firms from both countries signed memorandums of understanding to cooperate on tour product development, joint marketing and two-way visitor flows.
"Korea is one of Weifang’s key international partners," Gao said, expressing hope that the Seoul promotion would deepen cultural and tourism exchange.