Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo Fans Could Win A Free Trip To South Korea
Fans of Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo are a special lot. Now, the South Korean government is giving these fans an opportunity to make a difference to the country.
The good news is that this initiative is not just restricted to fans in South Korea. Hallyu fans across the world can be a part of this grand movement that will help South Korea scale great heights.
Last week, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced an online voting system through which Hallyu fans can select top 10 tourist spots in Seoul. Ideally, these spots should represent the Korean Wave, stated a report by Korea Times.
A select number of voters will win prizes, such as a round-trip ticket to Seoul and tickets to the 2016 Melon Music Awards. Both Koreans and foreigners are eligible to vote until September 20 (visit www.visitseoul.net to vote). The 10 locations will be announced on September 28.
READ MORE: Song Hye-kyo Faces Tough Competition From Chinese Actress Zheng Shuang
i can't stand his cutenesssssssss #??? #SongJoongKi pic.twitter.com/BzsHqraXyX
— mel? (@melmelmel96_) September 2, 2016
This grand initiative comes at a time when China has banned Hallyu entertainment. The move hopes to boost South Korea’s economy.
A 2015 study by the Korea Tourism Organization shows that 75.8 percent of foreign tourists wanted to visit restaurants recommended by Korean celebrities and 75.6 percent wanted to visit filming locations of Korean TV dramas or movies.
Flashbacks pic collection ~ #SongJoongKi in Allure Korea December 2010 magazine credit logo (5-8) pic.twitter.com/TQTf7SHZrQ
— JoongKi_MY (@SongjoongkiMY) August 26, 2016
And what better drama to promote now than Descendants of the Sun!
When Descendants of the Sun aired in February this year, not only did it garner a huge fan following in Korea, but it also created loyalists across the world. By swaying fans across China, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, U.S., and the U.K., Descendants of the Sun gained worldwide recognition.
The lead artists, Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, are now a household name in Asia, and the Song Song couple, as they are fondly called by the fans, are on their way to global stardom.
Descendants of the Sun wasn’t just a drama. It was a spectacular show that changed South Korea’s economy. It boosted tourism, it set the standard for fashion, and, most of all, it created Asia’s most celebrated couple — Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, the lead stars who swayed the audience with their on-screen chemistry.
Although not much of the drama was filmed in Seoul, fans can get creative and find locations that they think are apt.
Earlier, when a few journalists visited Korea, KTO officials made sure to include Incheon’s cafe Dal.Komm Coffee in the itinerary.
Melanie Adan, KTO’s marketing manager, explained that Descendants of the Sun was filmed on the cafe’s premises. According to TTN Worldwide, the drama provided millions of dollars worth of publicity to Korean medical capabilities. It spurred the already burgeoning medical tourism industry.
The locations need not necessarily be related to Descendants of the Sun. It could be any drama that Song Joong-ki or Song Hye-kyo acted in.
KTO has also set up a facility in Seoul’s Interactive Cultural Centre to help tourists comprehend what makes local cuisine tick. There’s probably no better place than that to have a preliminary acquaintance with such Korean delights as Kongguksu (cold noodles with soya bean broth), gejang (marinated crabs in soy sauce), and bulgogi (shredded beef grilled).
“We’ll promote the selected 10 places intensively as representative hallyu spots,” an official said.
SMG shortlisted 20 candidate places out of some 250, including N Seoul Tower where the soap opera My Love From the Star was filmed, K-Star Road in Gangnam, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Deoksu Palace, and Tongin Market.
In an effort to boost South Korean tourism, 2016 Korea Sale FESTA will be held from September 29 to October 31. The event will include Korea Grand Sale for foreign tourists and offer huge discounts.
For all you know, the products endorsed by Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo might be a part of this deal.
[Photo by Ahn Young-joon/AP Images]
