POP CULTURE has seen a dramatic rise in global popularity in recent years and one country in particular is leading the way.
The South Korean Wave, also known as Hallyu, has sparked huge interest among travellers worldwide.
InsideAsia Tours has now launched a series of cultural adventures for those wanting to get beneath the surface of this fascinating country.
We’ve seen worldwide interest in Korean culture explode recently, which has been led primarily by the spread of K-pop and K-dramas, said Harry Sargant, Marketing Manager, Inside Travel Group.
This interest has morphed into South Korea becoming a hot tourism destination on the cusp of something special.
InsideAsia’s three new cultural adventures include:
The 12-night K-pop, K-drama and traditional culture inspired Korean Wave’, which offers a deep dive into what makes South Korea so exciting right now.
The package has strong K-culture credentials with exploration of Seoul’s abandoned Yongma Land theme park, which has been a location for many a K-pop video.
It also includes a tour of the ultra-modern HiKR Ground building and trendy Ikseondong, as well as the chance to learn a few K-pop moves with a dance class.
The trip heads off the usual tourist path to the coastal town of Gangneung, which offers temples, traditional café culture, and is a region bordered by mountains and sea.
With the addition of the country’s largest immersive digital experience and the bus stop that featured on the latest album cover of the K-pop mega boyband BTS, Gangneung is a K-culture gem.
A stay in a traditional Hanok guest house in Jeonju, the UESCO City of Gastronomy, is another highlight. Hanok Village has been the location for many K-dramas, but this is the chance to stay in one of the traditional buildings characterised by its unique architecture.
The 12-night Korean Wave’ starts from $6,026 per person. The package includes all accommodation, breakfast, transport, Insider private guiding in Seoul, Busan and Gangneung, and a range of cultural experiences.
The 13-night South Korea Family Adventure’ is designed for those wanting to combine K-pop, traditional Korean fun and an island beach stay.
The package combines island and cultural adventures with a three-night stay on Jeju Island, including a submarine ride.
While in Seoul, take a day trip to Namiseom a small, picturesque island that sits in the middle of the Han River. The island is full of treelined walkways with cherry trees in spring, the yellow of Ginkgo in autumn, pines in summer and snow in winter and the best way to get there is via zipline.
The South Korea Family Adventure’ starts from $5,232 per person (based on a family of four). It includes 13 nights’ accommodation, breakfast, transport and various activities.
The seven-night Essential South Korea’ package feature’s a night’s stay in the ancient cultural capital of Gyeongju. The old capital of the Silla Kingdom is full of impressive ancient tombs and temples, including the UNESCO World Heritage Bulguksa.
It is priced from $2,057 per person and includes accommodation, breakfast, transport and a range of experiences.
At InsideAsia we are Asia specialists, proud of our Korea travel knowledge and insight, and we wanted to be the bridge that connects K-Pop enthusiasts with this incredible culture and destination, helping people get the most out of their trip, added Mr Sargant.
Gamcheon Busan
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