Comic icon Snoopy gets Korean makeover for nationwide tourism drive

A familiar face from American comic strips is getting a distinctly Korean makeover as Snoopy dons traditional clothing to welcome international visitors arriving during a 17-day tourism promotion campaign.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Visit Committee will jointly host the 2026 second-half Welcome Week from Friday through Nov. 15, offering foreign visitors travel information, special benefits and cultural experiences at five locations nationwide.

The campaign coincides with the 2026 Korea Grand Festival and aims to improve travel convenience while encouraging international visitors to return to Korea.

Welcome booths will operate at Incheon International Airport's Terminal 1 arrivals hall now through Nov. 15 and at Jeju International Airport's international arrivals hall from Saturday through Nov. 15.

Visitors can receive tourism information in English, Japanese and Chinese, along with travel benefits and opportunities to participate in interactive events.

This year's campaign features a collaboration with Snoopy Garden, a theme park in Jeju, bringing characters from the internationally popular Peanuts franchise together with elements of Korean traditional culture.

Snoopy and Woodstock will appear wearing hanbok and gat, traditional Korean clothing and headwear, with four types of specially designed commemorative gifts available to international visitors.

The campaign will also extend to cruise passengers arriving in Busan and Jeju.

Welcome events are scheduled for Tuesday at Busan North Port and Yeongdo cruise terminals and Nov. 9 at Jeju's Gangjeong Port cruise terminal.

Visitors will receive multilingual information on transportation, shopping, restaurants, public facilities and nearby attractions, as well as tourist maps and address cards.

Free Wi-Fi zones will also be available to help passengers make the most of their limited time ashore.

At Incheon International Airport, farewell events will take place at Terminal 1's departures hall on Nov. 7 and 14, distributing farewell cards and souvenirs to departing visitors.

The cards will feature QR codes linking to the Visit Korea website, allowing travelers to explore regional tourism information and plan future trips.

"We hope this Welcome Week will serve as an opportunity to convey Korea's warm hospitality and cultural appeal to international tourists through the meeting of the globally familiar Peanuts characters and Korean traditional culture," said Han Hye-ri, secretary-general of the Korea Visit Committee.

"We will continue to expand cooperation with private companies and local governments to improve convenience throughout every stage of the visitor journey, from arrival to departure, and pursue various initiatives to turn positive experiences in Korea into return visits," she added.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.