Pikachu in hanbok: Pokémon powers up Korea's regional tourism drive
Summary
The Korea Tourism Organization signed a formal partnership with Pokémon Korea on Monday to use the global franchise for regional tourism promotion. From Sept. 18 to Oct. 11, HiKR Ground in central Seoul will host a Pokémon takeover with Pikachu in hanbok, exhibitions, photo zones, booths and a pop-up store. The campaign also includes a stamp rally linking nearby cultural landmarks and regional travel itineraries. Officials said the effort aims to draw visitors beyond Seoul and into lesser-visited provinces.
Key Facts
- The partnership is tied to Pokémon Mega Festa 2026, a global celebration marking the franchise’s 30th anniversary.
- HiKR Ground’s first three floors will feature custom exhibitions and photo zones with Pikachu dressed in traditional Korean hanbok.
- The fifth floor will host interactive experience booths, a pop-up store and promotional hubs for autumn travel spots, traditional night markets, island tours and the Digital Tourist Local ID program.
- The Digital Tourist Local ID program is designed to encourage travel to rural counties facing demographic decline.
- Kang Yu-young, head of the KTO’s Regional Tourism Development Team, said the agency wants to use Pokémon IP to lower the barrier to domestic travel and highlight hidden regional resources.
Visitors take photos of Pikachu, the iconic character from the Japanese animated series Pokémon, at Lotte World Tower in Seoul, April 26, 2024. Korea Times file
For millions of pop-culture enthusiasts around the world, catching ’em all is a lifelong pursuit. Now, Korea’s tourism authorities are betting that the world’s highest-grossing media franchise can help them capture the interest of a few million more international visitors.
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) signed a formal partnership with Pokémon Korea, Monday, to harness the global megabrand for regional travel promotion. By pairing Nintendo’s iconic pocket monsters with local cultural sites, officials hope to disperse tourist traffic beyond the heavily trodden streets of the capital and into the country's lesser-visited provinces.
The centerpiece of the collaboration aligns with "Pokémon Mega Festa 2026," a global celebration marking the 30th anniversary of the franchise's origin. From Sept. 18 through Oct. 11, HiKR Ground — the KTO's multi-story immersive travel center in central Seoul — will undergo a total Pokémon takeover.
Visitors navigating the venue's first three floors will encounter custom exhibitions and photo zones featuring Pikachu outfitted in traditional Korean hanbok attire. On the fifth floor, interactive experience booths and a pop-up store will operate alongside promotional hubs showcasing autumn travel spots, traditional night markets, island tours and Korea’s "Digital Tourist Local ID" program — an initiative designed to incentivize travel to rural counties facing demographic decline.
To encourage foot traffic, the KTO is also launching a Pokémon stamp rally linking cultural landmarks near HiKR Ground, using embedded QR codes on event memorabilia to guide fans toward regional travel itineraries.
The strategy reflects a broader push by Korean tourism planners to convert pop-culture obsession into nationwide economic impact. While foreign tourism to Seoul has bounced back sharply in recent years, rural areas and smaller cities have often struggled to draw international travelers away from the capital region.
"By utilizing the Pokémon IP, which boasts a massive global fanbase, we aim to lower the barrier to domestic travel and highlight hidden regional resources," said Kang Yu-young, head of the KTO’s Regional Tourism Development Team.
Government officials noted that the alliance marks a template for future state-sponsored partnerships, with plans to court additional international entertainment brands to highlight Korea’s regional destinations.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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