As Korean Wave is gaining popularity, and the number of foreign visitors to Korea is increasing, the tourist attraction landscape foreigners go to have changed. Before, tourists often went to experience Korea's traditional culture, but nowadays, due to the Korean Wave, tourists are showing interest in entertainment agencies.
Few days ago, CNN not only presented Bukchon traditional village, Changgyeong palace as the 'must go place' of Seoul, but also included SM Entertainment office building.
SM Entertainment has produced great stars like Girl's Generation, Super junior, and Shinee. SM Entertainment building is always overcrowded with both foreign and domestic fans. In order to accommodate the demand of the fans, SM Ent has created Noraebang, where fans can sing K-Pop, and souvenir shops where fans can buy Girl's Generation and Super Junior posters and diaries. SM Ent holds showcases when new albums are released for the convenience of tourists.
Likewise, Korean Wave has transcended being a fever into a cultural icon. We hope Korean Wave's influence evolves to provide developments in Korea's tourism industry.
If I ever went to S.Korea I would want to see the DMZ...
I would find that more interesting than anything S.Korea has to offer.
Seeing North Korean and US soldiers standing only feet away from one another with a line dividing them.
I'd grab one of those North Korean fuckers and drag him across the line.... Of course that would be right after I said "why did the chicken cross the road? to get to the other side"
I don't know how those guys can just stand there silent for hours on end shoulder to shoulder day in and day out and not say a word.
I took that tour of the DMZ when I was at Camp Bonifas, and it's pretty intense. They require that you be dressed well, also, or you could end up starring in a NK propaganda film. You are warned against any provocation of the NK soldiers - it's not a Buckingham Palace situ - you are reminded again and again and again that you are representing the U.S.
They let you go into the SK side of the negotiation room, which is surprisingly small. This is the place where they mainly argue about the size of each country's flag on the table.
My main interest was seeing the site of the Ax Murder Incident, which has fascinated me since it happened in the summer of 1976 (Camp Bonifas is named after the Captain who was murdered).
What's very interesting is that all the SK (ROK) guards must be black belts, and they stand facing their NK counterparts, the NK guards face
each other, with a third between them and the SK side, to prevent defection!
ETA: One of my souvenirs from that day:
