‘KPop Demon Hunters’ craze drives surge in foreign tourists making 'norigae'

Norigae ornaments made by foreign tourists during a one-day craft class. Courtesy of Creatrip

The popularity of Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” has sparked a surge in demand for cultural and historical tourism experiences among foreign visitors to Korea.

According to data released on Tuesday by tourism platform Creatrip, bookings for cultural and historical experience programs by foreign tourists between June 1 and Aug. 17 rose sharply compared to the same period last year.

Reservations for traditional craft classes such as "norigae" (traditional Korean ornamental pendants) making skyrocketed by 2,133 percent year-on-year.

The trend was attributed to scenes in “KPop Demon Hunters” where members of the fictional girl group Huntrix are shown wearing norigae, which quickly gained popularity among overseas fans.

Bookings for kimchi-making programs at Seoul’s Kimchi Culture Center also rose 45 percent, reflecting growing interest in culinary experiences.

The demand extended beyond the capital as well. Reservations for tours to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) increased by 55 percent year-on-year, with Paju’s Imjingak, the Third Tunnel and Dora Observatory ranking among the most popular destinations.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.