KTO teams up with Netflix to promote Korean tourism worldwide

A scene from the Netflix series “Squid Game” plays on a mobile phone in this photo taken on Sept. 30, 2021. Reuters-Yonhap

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), has joined forces with Netflix to promote Korean tourism on the global stage, the KTO announced Tuesday.

The initiative marks the first collaboration between a Korean government agency and the global streaming giant on a comprehensive campaign, featuring co-produced advertising, targeted marketing to Netflix users with an interest in Korean content and interactive events aimed at consumers.

Notably, the campaign includes a tourism promotion video inspired by Netflix’s hit original series "Squid Game." A teaser is scheduled for release on June 23, with the full version set to debut in early July.

Coinciding with the video’s release, the KTO will launch an interactive event titled “VIP Tour to Korea Escorted by Pink Guards” — a nod to the masked enforcers in Squid Game who maintain order while hiding their identities. Winners will receive a trip to Korea as the grand prize.

All campaign content, including the teaser, main video and event details will be available on KTO’s official YouTube channel “Imagine Your Korea.”

“According to a recent Netflix survey, 72 percent of viewers of Korean content expressed a desire to visit Korea, nearly double the 37 percent of nonviewers. With over 300 million global subscribers, Netflix plays a significant role in spreading Korean culture worldwide,” said Park Yoon-sook, executive director of the tourism content department.

Additionally, the KTO plans to release another global ad campaign in August, this time themed around “All of Us Are Dead,” the Netflix series that follows high school students fighting to survive a deadly zombie outbreak.