From chestnuts to oysters, quirky souvenir shirts become must-haves for Korea travelers
The "Gongju Bamti" T-shirt is displayed at Jeil Yutong in Gongju Sanseong Market in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province. Courtesy of Jeil Yutong
Wearable souvenirs infused with ironic humor are becoming the main attraction for visitors exploring regional cities
For visitors heading to Gongju, a city in South Chungcheong Province known as the country's chestnut capital, a new travel tradition has taken hold — buying a chestnut souvenir shirt at Gongju Sanseong Market and wearing it immediately while exploring the area.
The shirt features a plump chestnut character printed across the front. It captures the local identity and is a playful nod to the word "bamti," an online meme referring to an unflattering look. After launching in May, the design went viral on social media within a month and now sells more than 1,000 shirts a day on weekends.
"So many tourists walk around downtown wearing the shirt that local residents sometimes ask them where to buy it and then visit the market to get their own," said Lee Tae-hee, head of Jeil Yutong and creator of the apparel. "Customers have fun wearing it, and other market vendors have been supportive because the shirt draws more foot traffic."
Social media posts feature the "Gongju Bamti" T-shirt, which playfully highlights Gongju's famous chestnuts and is currently trending online. Captured from Instagram
Diversifying domestic travel beyond food tours
Regional souvenir shirts that playfully celebrate local culture are breathing new life into domestic travel. Travelers now share photos of themselves wearing shirts depicting Kkumdori, Daejeon's 1993 Expo mascot; oyster shirts in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province; Seokguram shirts in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province; and potato shirts in Gangneung, Gangwon Province.
Wearing these souvenirs featuring regional mascots, local specialties and famous landmarks has become a travel activity in its own right. Lines routinely form outside souvenir shops in these destinations, and some travelers order shirts online before departing.
Driven by this trend, domestic tourism, long dominated by food-centric travel, have become much richer and could revitalize local economies. The commercial potential of a single souvenir shirt has clear historical precedent in the 1970s "I Love New York" (I♥NY) campaign. Faced with severe economic recession and high crime rates, New York State used the ubiquitous graphic tee to build an international tourism brand that inspired imitations worldwide.
Korea's modern regional shirts differentiate themselves by leaning into self-deprecating memes and ironic humor rather than sleek civic pride. The Tongyeong oyster shirt is packaged and sold like fresh seafood, while the Gyeongju Seokguram shirt features a kitschy parody of the American streetwear brand Supreme.
Kim A-yeon, head of the Tongyeong-based lifestyle brand TACLUB and creator of the oyster shirt, said the goal was to steer clear of typical civic marketing.
"We came up with the oyster T-shirt to express the charm and fun of Tongyeong in our own way rather than promote the city conventionally," Kim said. "Looking closely at Tongyeong's seafood and adding our own playful ideas is our approach to local branding."
An oyster-themed T-shirt made by TACLUB, a shop run by young residents in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province / Captured from TACLUB's website
The trend reflects a broader desire among younger travelers to relieve daily stress through lighthearted amusement.
"People do not buy these shirts because they need clothing — they buy them because the shirt itself is fun," said Lee Hoon, a professor at Hanyang University's School of Tourism. "Public-sector tourism initiatives emphasize function, but utility is a given. Tourism must offer fun beyond that."
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.