Stray Kids drives 10 mil. views for Busan tourism in KTO's latest campaign
Stray Kids pose during a blue carpet event for 2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer at KINTEX Exhibition Center 2 in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, Aug. 9. Yonhap
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has scored a major hit in its quest to turn global K-pop fandom into real-world travel momentum.
Its promotional video featuring global powerhouse Stray Kids recently shattered the 10-million-view mark, giving Korea's regional tourism strategy a powerful boost.
Released as part of the KTO’s flagship BIAS (Be In Artists’ Scenes) campaign — a strategic initiative launched in partnership with JYP Entertainment — the project plays on the fandom term “bias” to inspire international travel. By following directly in the footsteps of their favorite idols, fans are encouraged to venture far beyond Seoul and discover the rich cultural landscape of Korea's broader regions.
In the featured Busan installment, Stray Kids takes viewers on an energetic journey through the iconic coastal city, completing playful missions while exploring destinations like Songdo Beach, Bupyeong Kkangtong Market and the vibrant, hillside Gamcheon Culture Village. The video carries a personal touch by highlighting band member I.N., a Busan native, who offers fans a genuine local perspective on his home city and adds an authentic layer of warmth to the narrative.
To convert this digital engagement into actual foot traffic, the KTO has built a seamless ecosystem around the campaign.
Through a strategic partnership with global travel platform Klook, international fans can book curated itineraries, claim discounts and easily follow the exact routes featured in the video. The initiative reaches audiences worldwide through the VisitKorea platform, targeted social media campaigns, and high-profile digital billboards prominently displayed across major global cities.
This digital push is matched by direct, on-the-ground activation.
At Stray Kids’ RUN IT world tour stop in Seoul, the KTO operated an interactive BIAS campaign booth that introduced visiting international concertgoers directly to Busan's regional attractions.
“At the concert venue, we personally confirmed that foreign fans actually traveled to Busan after watching the campaign video,” said Baek Man-seong, lead of the Hallyu Content Team at the Korea Tourism Organization. “We will continue to expand our partnerships with K-pop artists to showcase the charm of local travel in an approachable, engaging way, inspiring fans to explore every corner of Korea.”
Moving forward, the KTO said it plans to deepen its partnerships with K-pop artists, showcasing the charm of local travel in approachable, engaging ways that inspire fans to explore every single corner of Korea.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.