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| August 16th, 2024 Korea Wellness News |
Welcome to our latest blog post, where we explore the exciting developments in Korea Wellness as of August 16th, 2024.
Renowned for its innovation and holistic approach, Korea Wellness continues to set the pace in the global wellness industry.
In this post, we delve into the nation's newest AI-driven health monitoring systems, offering real-time insights that empower individuals to take charge of their well-being.
We also highlight the booming Korea Wellness tourism sector, attracting global visitors eager to experience traditional Korean practices like Hanbang and modern wellness retreats.
Furthermore, we discuss the government's increased funding for mental health services, emphasizing a comprehensive approach to wellness that includes mental, physical, and emotional health.
Join us as we uncover how Korea Wellness is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life, setting a global standard.
Whether you're a wellness enthusiast, a healthcare professional, or simply curious about innovative health practices, this post provides valuable insights into the future of Korea Wellness.
Read on to discover how Korea Wellness is shaping the world of wellness today.
Parkroche, a healing sanctuary in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, where wellness and nature are in perfect harmony
Parkrosh Wellness & Resort in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, is a healing sanctuary that perfectly blends wellness and nature. It is located in a remote mountain valley about three hours' drive from Seoul and has recently become very popular for its wellness programmes, which have attracted more than 60,000 participants. The 204-room resort opened in conjunction with the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and features an architectural design that makes the most of the surrounding natural landscape, including Mount Gariwangsan and Mount Duta.
Parkroche's wellness programme offers more than 30 different activities from 8am to 8pm, including yoga, meditation, fitness, therapy and outdoor activities. The programme is consistently popular with visitors, often filling up to popular time slots that require multiple nights to participate. Unique programme names such as ‘Sookam Yoga’, ‘Well Move’ and ‘Cloud Walk’ are specialised to promote overall relaxation and sleep at the resort.
The resort's architectural design emphasises harmony with the surrounding nature, and the rooms are designed to maximise the views into the interior. The resort also offers a ‘Break Slow’ breakfast programme from 7am to 1pm, where guests can enjoy a leisurely meal at their leisure, while maintaining a low-noise and low-crowded environment to ensure the best possible rest.
Parkroche has recently been recognised for its luxurious accommodation experience and sophisticated service, having been awarded the top spot in the Regional Hotel category in Korea at the T+L Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2024. With its perfect blend of wellness and nature, Parkroche has become the ideal retreat for modern travellers.
Convergence of wellness and AI technology, Neurodigm innovates traffic control and health prediction
Startup Neurodigm is using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to revolutionise traffic control and wellness. Neurodigm has introduced an AI-based real-time traffic flow prediction system at intersections in Busan and Jeju to solve the problem of traffic congestion. The system uses AI to analyse traffic conditions at intersections and optimise signals, resulting in an annual economic improvement of approximately KRW 1.4 billion.
Neurodigm's AI traffic flow control model, AITOBAHN, currently targets more than 15,000 major intersections nationwide, and is planning to expand to major cities across the country, including Seoul, based on successful verification in Busan and Jeju. Simulation results show that ITOBAHN can improve traffic congestion by an average of 19% and up to 32%.
Neurodigm is also applying AI technology to the wellness sector. Through its AI platform, AITHENON, the company is advancing the field of disease prediction and health screening. Originally developed as a disease prediction system, AITHENON shifted its business direction to the wellness sector due to delays in the approval of the KFDA. In the wellness field, it will be able to predict diseases based on customers' health checkup data, and hospitals will be able to provide premium health checkup services.
Neurodigm plans to enter the overseas market from the second half of 2024 and will expand its AI prediction technology to the global market, starting with Southeast Asia. The company has a technological edge through the development of proprietary AI models and aims to build on its achievements in the traffic control and wellness sectors.
Lotte Card enhances platform competitiveness by strengthening wellness
Lotte Card is enhancing its competitiveness in the wellness sector by strengthening its platform. Recently, Lotte Card added a ‘Discovery’ tab to its Digirocar app to tailor its services to consumers' interests and enhance its practicality by focusing on wellness and education. Through this tab, users can easily access various wellness-related services.
Lotte Card is also expanding its wellness-related partnerships by launching Insurance Enroka, an insurance card payment service. Through the collaboration with LINA Life and Merits Fire, users can save up to KRW 25,000 per month. This strengthens LOTTE Card's market-leading position in the wellness and insurance sectors.
LOTTE Card's platform expansion strategy is aimed at enhancing customer loyalty and increasing payment convenience. In addition, LOTTE Card is exploring the possibility of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the second half of the year, laying the foundation for future growth by strengthening its platform and improving profitability. Currently, LOTTE Card is strengthening its economic foundation by securing consumers with high purchasing power through increasing credit sales balances.
Wellness and wellness: Happiness and tourism trends in the modern world
In modern society, happiness has become an important factor in determining the quality of life. Happiness has a positive impact on an individual's mental and physical health, which leads to the well-being of society as a whole. Studies have shown that travelling plays a huge role in increasing people's happiness and life satisfaction. In particular, the process of planning and anticipating a trip often already makes us feel happy.
However, people also experience hustle and bustle and stress while travelling. To solve this problem, wellness tourism has emerged as a new trend. Wellness tourism is more than just relaxation and sightseeing, it's a form of travel that seeks to combine physical health and mental well-being. It combines various programmes such as spas, yoga, meditation, healthy diets, and more, all aimed at improving the overall health of the individual.
Wellness tourism is gaining popularity internationally, with Thailand and Bali in Asia and Yosemite and Aspen in the United States as the leading wellness destinations. Japan is also known for its wellness tourism, which combines hot springs with traditional methods of emotional healing. In South Korea, Jeju Island is a leading destination for wellness tourism, offering a range of wellness programmes that take advantage of its natural resources and traditional culture.
Wellness tourism is more than just travelling, it is becoming an important strategy that plays a positive role in the local economy and society. In particular, Generation MZ is very interested in wellness tourism and actively participates in various wellness programmes such as yoga, meditation, and detoxification. They seek stress relief and mental calm through wellness tourism, and prefer experiences that they can share on social media.
Going forward, wellness tourism will continue to evolve and become more personalised and tailored. There will be an emphasis on holistic approaches, covering not only physical health but also mental, emotional and spiritual health, and new healing methods will be developed in addition to traditional wellness activities. Wellness tourism will be closely linked to the local community, offering locally-led programmes and opportunities to experience local traditions and culture.
Wellness and Neuroglo: A new beauty with peace of mind
In the Korean beauty industry, the ‘neuroglo’ trend is gaining traction, emphasising not only external beauty but also inner peace. Neuroglow is a combination of the words neuro and glow, meaning that mental stability and health are the key to realising true beauty.
In line with this trend, beauty products that support mental well-being are becoming increasingly popular. French natural brand Celvatico offers stress relief and healing through its Marseille Liquid Soap, which is made with naturally derived ingredients and accounts for 25 per cent of its sales. The soap contains more than 90 per cent vegetable oils for a soft, comfortable feel and is made using traditional 17th-century manufacturing methods.
Premium tea brand Tiffany's is also offering mental respite in the city centre with its ‘Pause, Pause Forest’ pop-up store. Tiffany's has created a purple tea-themed forest to give visitors a moment to focus on themselves, with new packaging of Tiffany's products and skin and body therapy kits.
Global beauty and wellness company Newkin Korea has launched a range of products to support memory, sleep and stress management through its mental care brand Mind 360. The brand, which includes three dietary supplements and two body care products, aims to promote mental stability and physical health at the same time.
The global wellness market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.9 per cent, reaching approximately US$7 trillion by 2025. The domestic wellness market is expected to reach $94 billion by 2023, making it the third-largest in Asia after China and Japan. The beauty industry is expected to continue to expand the popularity of neuroglobulin as consumers seek both mental well-being and external beauty in line with this wellness trend.
Wellness and longevity diet: 7 healthy foods recommended by a 78-year-old doctor
American longevity expert Dr Michael Reusen, who claims a biological age of 57.6 despite being 78 years old, has outlined a diet for wellness and longevity. His recommendations include olive oil, salmon, trout, dark chocolate, mushrooms, avocados, and cauliflower.
Dr Reusen recommends a tablespoon of olive oil daily, which reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. He also eats salmon and trout once or twice a week to get omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. Dark chocolate helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, which contribute to longevity, and avocados and cauliflower add variety to the diet.
Hee-won Chung, a professor of gerontology in Korea, advocates a ‘slow aging diet,’ which combines the benefits of the Mediterranean and Dash diets. It emphasises a diet centred on vegetables, whole grains and fish, and recommends using olive oil as the main cooking oil and reducing processed foods and simple sugars.
Eating right for wellness and longevity promotes not only physical health but also mental well-being, and is an important factor in living a long and happy life.
Wellness meets K-beauty: Korean SME beauty brands chosen by express hotels
Korean SME beauty brands are collaborating with luxury hotels to create new wellness experiences. Luxury hotels such as Four Seasons Seoul, Lotte Hotels, and Walkerhill Hotels are increasingly collaborating with Korean indie beauty brands to offer K-beauty products.
Four Seasons Seoul has collaborated with K-beauty brand Talidacum to host an exhibition in the hotel lobby and offer a Talidacum body cosmetics set to guests of its Wellness Escape Package. LOTTE HOTELS is also offering skincare brand Tom Programme from SME At Home to guests in its wellness rooms, showcasing premium products for targeted customers.
Vegan cosmetics brand Taga launched a ‘Gold Vacation’ package in collaboration with Nest Hotel near Incheon International Airport, while Courtyard Marriott Times Square in Seoul offers travel kits. Walkerhill Hotels is offering a holiday set including basic products from the vegan brand Dalva to guests of its ‘Full Vacation Package’.
K-beauty brands are expanding their influence in the global market by collaborating with luxury hotels to emphasise wellness, longevity, and luxury.
A vision for the future of Geumsan, the city of wellness and ginseng
Geumsan County, Chungcheongnam-do's Bum-in Park has revealed his ambition to turn Geumsan into a world-class wellness city. Since taking office in 2012, Park has made various efforts to position Geumsan as the ‘Ginseng Capital of the World’.
Geumsan recently secured KRW771.1 billion in state funding and is expected to usher in the era of a KRW1 trillion budget by 2026. To solve the population problem, the city is promoting various projects to improve settlement conditions and is currently aiming to maintain a population of 50,000. In particular, wellness-related projects include the creation of an atopic natural healing village, housing for newlyweds, and the Chungnam-type Live Together project.
In order to globalise the ginseng herb industry, Geumsan-gun is strengthening its marketing efforts in New York, Ho Chi Minh City, Dubai, and other cities, and is raising its international status by declaring Geumsan the World Ginseng Capital. It is also promoting the upgrading of the agricultural industry by fostering smart farms and creating a digital agricultural education centre.
The company is also active in the fields of culture and sports. Geumsan's attractiveness is being further enhanced through the construction of a high-quality cultural and sports facility in Darakwon, the expansion of sports facilities, and the upgrading of the local agricultural industry.
Park plans to continue with the smooth implementation of projects and new challenges to develop Geumsan into a ‘city of wellness and health healing’.
**Palmydo with Wellness: A day of healing with nature and history***.
Palmydo is an island located 50 minutes off the coast of Jung-gu, Incheon, making it an ideal day trip. The island was closed to civilians for 100 years as a military reserve, but it has been open to the public since 2009, offering natural and historical highlights.
On Palmyra, you can take a walk through the dense forest along a pathway lined with pine trees and breathe in the fragrant scent of the forest. These provide cool shade, while the coastline is lined with rock formations and other natural features that make exploring fun. On the beach, you can enjoy the last days of summer by catching conchs from the rocks or dipping your feet in the sea. There are also wellness activities on offer, with yoga and meditation programmes.
One of the highlights of Palmyra is the Palmyra Lighthouse, the country's first lighthouse. First lit in 1903, Palmido Lighthouse is an important historical site, having supported the Inchon landing during the Korean War. Today, a new lighthouse is in operation, and you can learn about Korea's modern and contemporary history at the lighthouse's history museum, where you can find relevant materials and exhibits.
Your trip to Palmydo begins aboard a golden fish-shaped cruise ship, where you can enjoy a coffee or ‘daytime mac’ with the sea as your backdrop. Take part in an onboard meditation programme while watching the sunset, which will help you find peace of mind.
Palmido operates on weekends with a schedule of boarding the cruise ship at 3:30pm and arriving at the coastal pier at 7:30pm, and reservations can be made at palmido.shop.
**Wellness in Yeongdeok-gun: Leap to Korea's No. 1 Wellness Destination with Natural Beauty
Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is planning to become Korea's No. 1 wellness destination with its natural beauty and abundant food. On the second anniversary of his eighth term in office, Yeongdeok County Mayor Kim Kwang-yeol announced his vision to make the wellness industry a key growth driver for the region. The plan includes the establishment of a mid- to long-term development plan for wellness tourism, the creation of themed roads along the Blue Road, and the renewal of the Jangsasang Landing Memorial Hall.
Yeongdeok-gun is also promoting various tourism innovation projects to keep pace with the rapid growth of the wellness tourism market. According to the US-based Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the wellness tourism market is expected to grow to $1.276 trillion by 2025, with a growth rate of 20.9 per cent annually in Korea. Yeongdeok-gun plans to take advantage of this opportunity by linking local resources such as the humanities healing centre ‘Yeomyung’ and the oriental medicine wellness centre, and establishing itself as a wellness tourism destination by creating the best coastal tourist trail in Korea and a wellness heterogeneous landscape.
In particular, the ‘Yeongdeok International Wellness Festa 2024’, which will be held at the ‘Goryebul National Campground’ from 3 to 6 October, will be an opportunity to promote Yeongdeok-gun's wellness contents at home and abroad through international participation from India, Germany, Russia, Indonesia, and Japan.
Yeongdeok-gun is also focusing on industrial innovation, such as building marine resource processing infrastructure and creating a smart seafood cluster. Through this, it aims to foster a blue food industrial complex and expand export markets. Various efforts are being made to revitalise the local economy and improve settlement conditions by modernising local traditional markets and creating a residence base for young people.
‘We will turn the crisis of rural depopulation into an opportunity by fostering specialised tourism industries and discovering new industries that will lead to new growth,’ said Kim Kwang-yeol, revealing his vision for Yeongdeok-gun to become a wellness centre.
**Harmonising wellness and nature: Healing at Oak Valley Resort
Oak Valley Resort, located in Wonju, Gangwon-do, is attracting attention as a place where wellness and nature are in harmony. Spread over a vast area of about 3.4 million square kilometres, Oak Valley is a large-scale resort with a 90-hole golf course and over 1,000 rooms, and was recently selected as an ‘Excellent Wellness Destination’ in the Nature and Forest Healing category by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization.
Oak Valley Resort offers visitors the ultimate in recreation with its rich natural scenery and a variety of leisure facilities. Seongmunan CC, Oak Valley CC, and Wolsongri CC, located on the sprawling grounds, utilise their unique topography and natural environment to provide the perfect place for golf and driving. In particular, the resort has recently launched a cart tour for golfers, which is attracting more and more attention.
The resort also has a sculpture park and art gallery, where you can stroll around and admire the works of famous sculptors. The Fioreto Restaurant at the clubhouse of Shengmun An CC also offers fine dining and panoramic views for an elegant and relaxing experience.
Offering a wellness experience in nature, Dadungil is a 40-kilometre walking trail with a variety of scenic views and programmes such as meditation in the forest and trekking to soothing BGM music. Visitors can balance their minds and bodies through a variety of wellness programmes, including an ice-skating experience, corrective walking and forest healing with a forest guide.
Oak Valley Resort is the perfect place to heal the body and mind with the harmony of wellness and nature, relieving stress and providing healing for modern people.
**Wellness and prenatal care: Chungcheongbuk-do expands childbirth incentives**.
Chungcheongbuk-do ranks first in the country in terms of the number of births and total fertility rate growth, and is promoting various policies to address the low birth rate. Last year, the number of births in Chungcheongbuk-do was 7,580, up 1.7 per cent from the previous year, and the total fertility rate also increased slightly. This is attributed to the introduction of the maternity and childcare allowance and an increase in the influx of young adults.
Chungcheongbuk-do has a policy of providing 10 million won in maternity and childcare allowance to all newborns, which has helped ease the financial burden. The province also supports egg freezing procedures and the Happy Marriage Credit Project, which provides up to 50 million won to young adults upon marriage. Interest support on credit loans for newlyweds, half-price apartments, and eco-friendly agricultural products for pregnant women are also planned.
In particular, Chungbuk-do has introduced a ‘wellness’ prenatal package for pregnant women to improve the prenatal environment and help them prepare for childbirth. The package partners with designated accommodation facilities in the province to provide pregnant women with customised accommodation and prenatal services, as well as professional counselling services and wellness programmes. These policies have garnered attention as a model for responding to the declining birthrate in Chungcheongbuk-do, and have spurred the adoption of similar policies in other regions.
Chungbuk-do's active birth promotion policies are playing an important role in overcoming the birth crisis, and the province plans to continue to create results that residents can feel through various birth control measures.
**Athletic activities with wellness, healthy changes in Namwon-eup
After a summer of tropical nights, the cooler winds are coming. During this time, Namwon-eup has optimal conditions for enjoying physical education and wellness activities. Namwon-eup boasts excellent conditions in terms of both sports facilities and natural environment.
Namwon-eup has a variety of sports facilities, including Namwon Life Gymnasium, Gongcheonpo Battlefield Training Centre, Park Golf Course, and the recently opened Culture and Sports Complex. These facilities are suitable not only for ball sports such as football, volleyball, and tennis, but also for personal fitness such as swimming and fitness. In addition, the Namwon-eup Sports Association, the Residents' Autonomy Committee, and senior centres run health programmes such as yoga, Pilates, and line dancing, contributing to the health of residents.
In terms of the natural environment, Merchewat Forest Path, which was selected as a healing spot in 2024, Ollekos, and forest trails in the middle of the mountains are well-maintained and suitable for wellness activities. This natural environment is effective in relieving stress and calming the mind and body.
Residents who have suffered from sleep deprivation due to tropical nights during the summer can now restore their health through physical activity. By actively utilising Namwon-eup's various sports facilities and wellness programmes, it is hoped that local residents will maintain a healthy lifestyle and improve their health indicators.
We hope that you can enjoy a healthy life through hands-on exercise and wellness activities in Namwon-eup and further enhance the vitality of the local community.
**Haiwon Resort with wellness, healing in the natural beauty of nature***.
If you're looking for a clean holiday to heal your body and mind during the summer, Hiwon Resort in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do is the place to be. Located amidst the natural beauty of the Baekdu Mountain Range, the resort offers stunning views from an altitude of 1,340 metres above sea level and a variety of wellness programmes to help you heal.
Meditation and yoga sessions are held at 8.30am, and there are also stress-relieving programmes such as ‘music therapy’ and ‘healing sound’. Guests can also enjoy ‘aromatherapy’ and ‘herbal tea making’.
A 500-pyeong animal farm is located around Haiwon Pagoda, where you can observe more than 50 animals of five species in their natural environment. There is also a market near the farm selling local food, including miners' lunches, potato pancakes, and local rice wine.
The Haiyuan Undango Cable Car is a 2,832-metre cable car that allows you to enjoy the seasonal wildflowers from above. It offers a unique experience to capture the natural scenery from an altitude of 1,340 metres above sea level. The Sky Trail offers a healing and relaxing trekking experience that feels like walking on clouds.
The ‘Haneul-gil Perimeter Trail’ was selected as one of the 50 best forest trails for walking by the Korea Forest Service, and is a trekking course that allows you to explore the diverse natural environment of the highlands and the culture of the abandoned mine area. You can also listen to the sounds of living trees through the ‘Tree Doctor Job Experience’ programme and explore nature with a forest guide.
Hiwon Resort also offers a ‘Starry Night Walk’ programme where you can enjoy the starry night view, and there are various photo zones where you can capture your life. Haiwon Resort, where you can experience healing while enjoying wellness and nature together, is one of the best places for a summer holiday.
**Geumcheon Baejusu Park in Cheongju City, Cheongju with Wellness, to Install Observatory and Improve Facilities
The city of Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, is planning to improve various facilities at Geumcheon Baejusu Park by November by implementing the ‘Geumcheon Baejusu Park Wellness Space Creation Project’. The project will involve an investment of KRW 500 million to replace aging sports facilities and pavilions, install new elastic pavements, and add gardens.
Geumcheon Baejusu Park is a popular park visited by many residents, and in July, an ochre experience space and ochre path were created, but there have been ongoing requests to replace the existing aging sports facilities and pavilion.
The new observation deck will offer a panoramic view of the city and provide a better wellness experience for local residents. ‘By improving the facilities, we will ensure that local residents can use the park in a safe and comfortable environment,’ said Lee Jun-woo, head of the Park Management Division.
The project is part of Cheongju's wellness space creation, demonstrating the city's commitment to improving the health and convenience of its residents.
**Wellness and Affluent Consumption, Walmart's New Customer Base
Affluent shoppers are coming to Walmart not just for the price savings, but for the wellness and quality they're seeking. With Q2 2023 sales up 4.8% year-over-year to $169.3 billion, Walmart has succeeded in attracting shoppers from all income brackets. Growth was particularly driven by higher-income shoppers, who were attracted to the retailer's discounted and health-oriented products.
Walmart recently launched its own brand, BetterGoods, which offers plant-based and quality products at lower prices, appealing to higher-income shoppers who value wellness and quality. The brand has been cited as one of the factors that has led to more frequent trips to Walmart than Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, especially among higher-income shoppers.
Walmart's e-commerce business is also making gains in online shopping, growing 21% this year, with fast delivery services. These services align with affluent consumers' desire for convenience.
Other discount retailers are also seeing a shift towards lower-priced products among affluent consumers. This shows that consumers are beginning to consider both savings and quality under economic pressure.
While Walmart is improving the shopping experience with store remodelling and attractive private label offerings, it's possible that in the long run, as economic hardship wanes, affluent shoppers will favour a higher-end shopping experience. Keeping in mind that shopping priorities can change with economic conditions, Walmart will continue to provide value to consumers who value wellness and quality.
**Wellness and hyperbaric chambers are the new craze in China's westernisation craze
Hyperbaric chambers are at the centre of the wellness and cupping trend in China. Hyperbaric chamber experiences have recently become popular in high-end Chinese residences, and the equipment is touted for its anti-aging and skin beautifying benefits. Prices range from 290,000 yuan (about $56,000) for a single person to 650,000 yuan (about $100 million) for four to six people. The experience is priced at 699 yuan (about $130,000) per hour, and memberships are also available for long-term use.
Hyperbaric chambers are used in an environment with an oxygen concentration of more than 90 per cent, and the interior is decorated similarly to first class on an aeroplane. These hyperbaric chambers appear to be a Chinese reintroduction of the ‘life-sustaining huts’ that were popular in Japan. In recent years, the popularity and sales of these machines have skyrocketed, with advertisements touting their anti-aging, anti-fatigue, immune-boosting, and anti-cancer benefits.
However, academics have questioned the efficacy of hyperbaric chambers, noting that they are not recognised as medical devices. The rise in popularity of hyperbaric chambers is part of a growing ‘yangsheng’ craze in China, a phenomenon that has been driven by a growing interest in wellness and health. Yangsheng is a traditional Taoist concept that means cultivating ‘life force’ and is used interchangeably with wellness and wellness in modern China.
Economic insecurity and growing health concerns have led to a rise in the popularity of yangsheng consumption, which is also spreading to younger generations. Young people aged 18 to 35 are spending more on nutritional supplements, a trend that has likely been reinforced by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.