Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
To draw K-pop fans beyond Seoul, Korea leverages their 'BIAS'
Visitors explore HiKR Ground, a high-tech K-culture promotional hub at the Korea Tourism Organization building in central Seoul. Yonhap
By Jhoo Dong-chan
For millions of global music fans, a "bias" is not a prejudice but a favorite K-pop artist. Korea’s tourism officials are betting that the fierce loyalty inspired by these idols can achieve what years of traditional advertising could not: persuade international travelers to venture outside the crowded Korean capital.
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) announced Wednesday the launch of “BIAS (Be In Artists' Scenes),” a major marketing campaign running through November. Developed in collaboration with the country’s titan entertainment agencies — including Hybe, SM, JYP, and Starship — the initiative hopes to use the intense devotion of global fandoms to decentralize tourism, directing traffic toward historic areas and coastal regions.
Instead of generic promotional reels, the campaign leans into localized storytelling. High-profile stars have filmed travel content showcasing their personal connections to specific regions. MONSTA X explores the ancient city of Gyeongju. EXO members Kai and Sehun travel through the wetlands of Suncheon. Stray Kids spotlights the port city of Busan, and rising boy band TWS highlights the coastal charms of Gangneung. The videos will roll out on the artists' official YouTube channels through July 9.
"K-pop fans possess a powerful motivation to visit the exact places their favorite artists have set foot," Park Sung-hyeuck, president of KTO, said. "We intend to convert that passion into regional visits and economic spending."
To turn online engagement into actual plane tickets, the government is bypassing conventional booking routes. The KTO has partnered with major Asian travel platforms like Klook, KKday, and Creatrip to sell curated itineraries featuring the precise locations, restaurants and activities shown in the videos. A dedicated hub on the official VisitKorea website will link directly to these booking engines.
The push comes as Korea aggressively seeks to distribute the financial windfall of its tourism boom to provincial economies, utilizing billboard welcomes at major transit hubs and concert-linked promotions to ensure that the next wave of travelers sees the whole peninsula, rather than just Seoul.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.