Planning to visit Korea? Here’s a guide by Lee Younggeun to explore the land of BTS, Korean beauty and food in the best possible way

Korea, in the heartland of Asia, is a cultural hub that presents the world with delicious food, dynamic festivals, Korean skincare, and the global domination of K-pop. South Korea is a perfect amalgamation of modernism intertwined with a decade-long history that holds within itself picturesque landscapes, historical monuments, and a range of vibrant off-beat places for people to visit and enjoy. At an event organised by KTO on strengthening India and Korea’s tourism ties, we had an exclusive conversation with Lee Younggeun, the Executive Director of the International Marketing Department at the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), we talked about how Korea and India’s collaboration in the tourism sector will be beneficial for both the country’s development, how Korea is emerging as a major tourism destination, from food, music, K-drama to skincare, the love for Korean culture is skyrocketing and taking over the world.

The Korea Tourism Organization’s (KTO) Executive Director of International Marketing, Lee Younggeun, has a solid background in public administration from Kyung Hee University and a strong experience in public policy from Sogang University. He brings to his position a distinctive fusion of strategic thought and practical expertise.

Lee has held a variety of leadership positions throughout his time with KTO, including director of MICE planning and management, director of the Kuala Lumpur office, and director of tourism content development. His background includes managing tourism infrastructure and even working as the Chicago office’s deputy director. This exciting trajectory demonstrates his capacity to promote worldwide partnerships and enhance Korea’s standing as a top tourist destination.

How do you think Korea and India’s collaboration will be beneficial for both countries in terms of tourism?

Many Indians are interested in Korean culture, Korean food, music, and K-dramas and are willing to visit Korea. But even a few years back, visiting the country was not very accessible, so this collaboration will allow people to explore the real Korea, the food, and K-beauty. It will help them know more about the country, and its people and allow cultural exchange at a deeper and broader level. It will open doors for tourists to explore the off-beat places, ones they usually wouldn’t know about thereby impacting tourism positively. Many travel agencies are actively showing interest in Korean events and places, this collaboration will increase accessibility.

Talking about accessibility, has there been a notable increase in terms of the number of Indians visiting Korea in the past two to three years with the increasing popularity of K-culture?

The pandemic majorly affected the tourism sector and the country is still recovering from that once they have completely recovered, they expect more and more tourists by early next year. However, there has been a notable increase as compared to the previous year.

How has the increase in tourism affected the other sectors in Korea, like the scope for educational exchanges, local handicrafts, food, and in general?

Tourists often visit Korea to learn the language and to work. They want to know more about the authentic culture and to try the food and skincare products. They are also interested in Korea-related work, so eventually, and often come back to India and end up working for such companies. This will deepen the understanding of culture and strengthen the ties.

When we visit Korea, what are the places that should be on my list and we absolutely cannot miss?

Definitely, Seoul should be on the top as it has been the capital city of Korea for a long time so there are many old, ancient communities, and structures concentrated in one area that you might enjoy.  Since you are young and might enjoy shopping then you should definitely visit Myeong-dong to buy moderately priced items and see the changing trends in real time. There are other markets and malls that sell high-end items that you will enjoy.

What according to you is the best time to visit Korea?

In Korea, we have four distinct seasons, summer, spring, autumn, and winter. Summers are usually hot but are still pleasant, but the best time to visit Korea would be Autumn, as the weather is cool and nice. There are many mountains in Korea that you can visit, which are very near, and even in Seoul, the mountains are fully covered with reed, yellow shades of trees, and are really food.

Talking about Korean food, what are the must-try dishes during a visit?

If you enjoy non-veg food, you can enjoy Samgye-tang, a pot full of rice and hot soup, and a mix of original Korean Ginseng is believed to be really good for your health. Another more popular option among youngsters is frying meat with other vegetables on the pan and is really delicious. There are other street food options that you can explore.

The popularity of K-pop bands and K-dramas is taking over the world, and India too has many fans, is there any possibility of us getting to experience concerts or events on them here in India?

We are hoping we can expand our ties and more people can experience Korean culture all over the world and in India.

The event organised by KTO was significant as it appointed Anushka Sen, as the Indian ambassador for Korea and was a spectacular pre4sentations upholding Korean culture. The conversation with Lee gave us a better understanding of Korean culture, the people, lifestyle, and food and we cannot wait to visit the beautiful country!