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.
Deaf K-pop group champions barrier-free travel in Korea
Big Ocean, a three-member K-pop group known as the world's first hard-of-hearing boy band / Korea Times file
By Jhoo Dong-chan
For most travelers, navigating a new city involves checking maps or booking tickets. But for those with physical or sensory disabilities, the barriers are often structural, written into the very design of streets, restaurants and cultural landmarks.
To challenge these limits, the Korea Tourism Organization launched a two-day barrier-free travel initiative across the cities of Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, and Gangneung, Gangwon Province, this week. Partnering with Big Ocean, a rising K-pop trio and the world’s first deaf idol group, the national tourism agency sought to spotlight "Open Tourism" — a growing movement aimed at eliminating physical and communication hurdles for vulnerable travelers.
The first leg of the journey began Wednesday in Suwon, an ancient walled city south of Seoul. A group of 20 deaf and hearing-impaired participants embarked on a sign-language walking tour along the towering stone ramparts of the UNESCO-listed Hwaseong Fortress. Assisted by specialized sign-language docents, the travelers tried their hand at traditional Korean archery and ceramic painting. Crucially, every restaurant and cafe along the route was carefully vetted to ensure seamless wheelchair accessibility.
The focus shifted to the eastern coastal city of Gangneung, Thursday, where a group of 36 travelers, including disabled participants and volunteers, arrived at Yeongok Beach — a pioneer in barrier-free coastal tourism. Alongside the members of Big Ocean, the participants engaged in "plogging," an eco-conscious activity combining jogging with trash pickup along the beach’s pine-fringed camping grounds.
After a visit to the immersive digital art exhibits at Gangneung’s Arte Museum, the journey was slated to conclude with an intimate beachfront mini-concert by Big Ocean. To ensure a seamless trip, the Gangneung Barrier-Free Tourism Center provided specialized accessible vehicles for the entire coastal route.
"This journey is a meaningful demonstration that disability does not have to be an obstacle to travel, and that experiencing the world is a right everyone should enjoy in their daily lives," said Moon Ji-young, head of the Open Tourism Content Team at the Korea Tourism Organization.
The tourism agency plans to produce a promotional campaign using footage from the two-day trek to advocate for more inclusive infrastructure nationwide, hoping to turn what was once a specialized itinerary into the standard for travel across Korea.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.