Korea Tourism Organization Promotes Korean Landmarks Featured in "Kedeheon" to Boost Inbound Tourism

The Korea Tourism Organization announced on August 28 that it will launch a variety of promotional marketing campaigns utilizing the Netflix original animation "K-Pop Demon Hunters" (Kedeheon). The aim is to leverage the global interest in Kedeheon to attract tourists to Korea.

According to the organization, immediately after the release of Kedeheon, Google Trends showed a steady increase in search interest from countries such as the United States, Japan, and France. Notably, 52.4% of related search terms were specific locations in Korea, with a high proportion of searches focused on actual background sites such as Bukchon (11.8%), Naksan Park (9.6%), and Olympic Main Stadium (9.6%).

The representative character of Korean tourism, Kingdom Friends, is introducing Bukchon Hanok Village, one of the main background locations of Kedeheon.
Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

In response, the organization is launching an initiative to "promote Korean landmarks featured in Kedeheon." Major locations that appear in Kedeheon, such as Naksan Park-where the main characters Jinwoo and Lumi sing "Free" together-as well as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village, will be introduced through the Korea Tourism Integrated Platform VISITKOREA and social media channels operated by the organization, making it easy for foreigners to find information. Each tourist site will feature photos with Kingdom Friends, the representative character of Korean tourism, recreating scenes from Kedeheon to add an element of fun.

Additionally, a social media event will be held where participants can choose between "traditional" and "modern" Korean travel themes they would like to experience. Winners will be selected by lottery to receive prizes such as flight tickets to Korea and commemorative gifts inspired by traditional knots, which are couple items of the main characters in Kedeheon.

Kim Namcheon, Acting Director of the Tourism Content Strategy Division at the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, "We have planned a variety of events so that the Kedeheon craze can go beyond the popularity of the work itself and lead to increased interest in traveling to Korea, and ultimately, actual visits to the country." He added, "The organization has led inbound tourism marketing using various content such as K-pop, dramas, and performances, and we will continue to accelerate the discovery of new content and the promotion of inbound tourism in the future."