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Category Archives: Korea, Sparkling

Korea Times and National Branding

14-Oct-08

Korea Times and National Branding

The Korea Times is currently running an interesting series of articles on Korea’s national brand. The paper has asked a number of foreigners – branding, business, tourism and advertising specialists – to comment on Korea’s perception overseas. Some of the writers are uniquely qualified to provide insights: Simon Anholt, for example, is the man who came up with the “Korea, Sparkling” tourism brand. He confesses, though, that it’s easier to brand a product than a whole country. David Mason focuses on the opportunities to promote religious and spiritual tourism, and advocates the creation or restoration of convenient pilgrimage trails. David Kilburn (right), whose lovingly preserved hanok in Bukcheon features in Kim Ki-duk’s 3-Iron, also provides a contribution. Some of his recommendations, ...
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B-boys promote Korean tourism at KCC

23-Aug-08

B-boys promote Korean tourism at KCC

It’s now more than a year since the somewhat controversial launch of the Korea, Sparkling tourism brand. As I suspected at the time, people would get used to it in due course, and now the logo has become a familiar feature on the various tourist literature available. The branding, together with the Han Style campaign and other investments in the tourism industry is all part of the effort to reduce Korea’s tourism deficit – an early priority of the Lee Government ((See the minutes of President Lee's first cabinet meeting, where the new tourism minister Yu In-chon is put on the spot (search the article for "tourism deficit"). )) "Tourism is ... a future growth industry, but the tourism deficit has worsened, ...
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AKS Korean night - she said

23-Apr-08

AKS Korean night - she said

One of two accounts of the recent Anglo-Korean Society evening at the KCC - this one by new contributor Béatrice Colbrant What a cheerful and pleasant evening at the Korean Cultural Centre, organised on 10 April 2008 by indefatigable and always enthusiastic Sylvia Park, social events secretary of the Anglo Korean Society! The new Korean Cultural Centre is ideally located at Number 1 Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5EJ, near Trafalgar Square, in premises which are dedicated to the discovery and the enjoyment of Korean culture. An important convivial space, an art gallery and a library make it the ideal location for an evening of Korean delights. “Contemporary Korean Art”, the current exhibition (from 27 March to 16 May), paints a portrait of contemporary ...
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AKS Korean night - he said

23-Apr-08

AKS Korean night - he said

One of two accounts of the recent Anglo-Korean Society evening at the KCC - this one by Matthew Jackson The forces of the AKS, KTO and KCC were combined to good effect at the Cultural Evening on Thursday, 10 April. Walking around the packed Cultural Centre, it felt as though things have changed a lot in the last two years, and there is a chance that Korea may become known in this country for more than its history in the past fifty years. The core of the evening was a series of talks and performances in the multi-purpose hall. Sir Stephen Brown, the AKS chairman, opened proceedings with a brief speech, introducing high profile attendants, which included a senior Hyundai executive. He ...
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These people make me angry

23-Apr-08
Today we have two accounts of the AKS evening of Korean culture on 10 April (one of them unsolicited by me). Both of them are favourable and rightly appreciative of the efforts of Sylvia Park of the AKS in organising the event. So I feel justified in presenting another angle. The evening was scheduled to start at 7pm, so I swanned in, Korean-style, at 7:10 and wondered where everyone was. I grabbed a glass of wine from the dapper Mr Corbishley at the bar, said hello to a couple of embassy and KCC officials and ambled in the direction of the multi-purpose space. The proceedings had in fact started bang on time, and AKS members and their guests were packed into the ...
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“Korea, Sparkling” explained

09-Jul-07

“Korea, Sparkling” explained

Hiding at the bottom of the goody-bag we were handed at the Korea Tourism Organisation's "Korea, Sparkling" launch ten days ago was a little booklet which you could almost have missed. But for those who are puzzled as to what "Korea, Sparkling" is all about, the booklet contains some of the answers. It is published by the Korean Tourism Organisation, but reading the language of the booklet, it looks like much of the material was provided by the branding consultants who came up with the "Korea, Sparkling" concept. One thing which the booklet makes clear is that "Korea, Sparkling" is a tourism brand and is not intended to replace the "Dynamic Korea" national brand (if that makes sense). For those prepared ...
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Korea, fizzling

29-Jun-07
An unruly mob of louts and freeloaders from the travel and journalism trade gathered on the top floor of New Zealand House yesterday evening to honour the launch of the "Korea, Sparkling" tourism brand. When it had been launched so successfully down below in Trafalgar Square not two weeks beforehand, some of us wondered why it needed another launch so soon. But the free bar was doing a roaring trade (our KNTO hosts encouraged us not to hold back), and snouts were in the food troughs way before the presentations started. The room's PA system crackled feebly, and the brand marketing video started. Glossy visuals were accompanied by the standard American voice-over you hear on a film trailer. It was a ...
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Korea, Sparkling

16-Apr-07
Why is it that Western Korea-watchers are, in general, so cynical? Too often we criticise Korea for not listening to sound advice from us knoweldgeable, sophisticated Westerners. So Korea goes and hires the leading "National Branding" expert, Simon Anholt (a Brit, according to one blogger), to assist with a tourism strapline. Highly commendable. And the new brand was launched last week. But still the response from Westerners seems at best muted - with the notable exception of a writer in the Korea Herald. Have a browse through the comments in the blogosphere linked below, or better still, participate in the KTO's sparkling competitions and win a return trip to Korea. Links: Official Korean Tourist Organisation website Korea, Sparkling video at the KTO website Win return tickets ...
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