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| August 21st, 2024 Korea Wellness News |
Welcome to our latest blog post, where we explore the exciting developments in Korea Wellness as of August 21st, 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.
‘Yangyang Wellness Beach Festival’ offers wellness and healing at the same time
The Yangyang Wellness Beach Festival, where visitors can enjoy activities and wellness experiences in nature, will be held on 24 August from 10am to 8.30pm in District D of Naksan Beach, Yangyang. The festival is organised by the Yangyang County Tourism Council, which was selected for the 2024 Rural Creative Tourism Support Project, and offers wellness experiences against the backdrop of the beautiful Naksan Beach.
The event will feature a variety of healing programmes from 10am to 7pm, including animal flow, yoga, surfing, hula dancing, meditation, soundbath, and more. A total of 150 people interested in youth, wellness and healing are invited to attend, and there will also be a main stage, a relaxation zone where visitors can relax under the shade, and food and beverage booths centred on local brands. In particular, there will be an indie band performance at 8.30pm to keep participants entertained.
‘We hope this Wellness Beach Festival will be a new healing experience for visitors,’ said an organiser, adding that efforts will be made to develop rural-specific themed tourism content to showcase the charm of Yangyang.
Yangyang County and the Yangyang Tourism Council plan to provide seasonal and unique experiences centred on rural experience holiday villages through the Rural Creative Tourism Support Project. Beyond introducing rural culture, they will also develop stay-type tourism products that allow visitors to participate and learn, creating sustainable demand for rural travel.
Autumn festivals with wellness, nature and culture
This autumn, there are a number of festivals that combine wellness and activities in nature. The festivals will be even more cheerful and fun in the refreshing autumn after the heatwave.
In Incheon, the ‘Incheon Fishing Expo 2024’ will be held from 23 to 25 August at Songdo Convensia. A wide range of products and experiences related to fishing and camping will be on offer, and visitors will be greeted with a fishing casting experience and a stamp-rally event.
On 28-29 September, Songdo Moonlight Park will host the ‘Green Camp Festival’. The festival offers camping and picnicking, as well as performances by artists such as Shin Seung-hoon and X-Dinary Heroes. It also includes brand exhibitions and wellness programmes, so you can enjoy camping and music at the same time.
Chuncheon hosts the 2024 All-Generation Choral Festival from 23-31 September, a large-scale choral festival featuring choirs from across the country and abroad. There will be youth performances, family choir recitals, and busking in the city centre.
The Someday Festival 2024 will be held on 7-8 September at Nanji Hangang Park, with performances by popular musicians such as Jang Jang Ha and Thornapple.
The Pyeongchang Hyo-seok Culture Festival will take place from 9 to 15 September in the Bongpyeong area of Pyeongchang. There will be various experience programmes and cultural contents themed around Lee Hyo-seok's novel ‘When Buckwheat Blossoms’.
From 8 to 31 September, Muju will host the 28th Muju Firefly Festival. The festival includes a variety of ecological experiences and cultural events, including firefly mystery hunts and a waterfall festival.
The Goesan Chilli Festival takes place from 29 August to 1 September and features a variety of events and performances with a chilli theme.
Finally, on 28 September, Seoul will host Dinéenblanc Seoul 2024. This unique ‘all-white feast’ event invites participants to wear all white and enjoy a picnic in the city centre, alongside a variety of performances and events.
This autumn, there are plenty of festivals where you can experience wellness and fun while enjoying nature and culture.
Wellness, AI drug discovery, and the future of SaaS platforms
Recently, software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform services have been touted as a way to accelerate the growth of the artificial intelligence (AI) drug discovery industry. SaaS AI platforms offer cloud access to the latest versions of AI without the need to install any software, making them a valuable tool for pharma and biotech companies that cannot afford to build their own AI.
This year, the US is set to unveil game-changing clinical trial results for AI drug discovery. This will be the first time that AI-enabled drug discovery and development will demonstrate real commercial value. Currently, there are only 10 AI-driven drug discovery companies in the world that have entered Phase 1 or higher clinical trials, including Recursion and In silico Medicine. Recurgeon plans to announce Phase 2 results for its cerebral cavernous malformation and neurofibromatosis drugs later this year.
Not only traditional pharmaceutical companies, but also large companies are actively developing AI drugs. SK Biopharm is using its AI-based drug design platform ‘Hubble’ to develop new drugs and is expanding into digital healthcare. CJ Bioscience aims to apply microbiome technology to the development of new drugs and increase clinical success rates using its AI platform ‘EZM’.
Improving access to AI technology through SaaS platforms will play an important role in proving the commercial value of new drug development. On average, it takes 15 years and 3 trillion won to develop a new drug, but AI can significantly reduce the time and cost. The global AI drug discovery market is expected to grow from $600 million in 2022 to $4 billion in 2027, at a CAGR of 45.7 per cent.
These developments are also expected to impact the wellness industry, where the convergence of AI and SaaS platforms will help deliver new wellness solutions.
Park Hyatt Busan offers a relaxing late summer holiday with free breakfast
Park Hyatt Busan is launching a week-long ‘Breakfast Only’ offer for guests planning a relaxing late holiday to escape the summer heat, starting on the 21st. The main benefit of the promotion is a complimentary breakfast for guests staying in an ocean view room or luxury suite with a panoramic view of the Haeundae sea.
The breakfast buffet, which features a variety of dishes ranging from American-style to Korean and bakery, is available daily from 6:30am to 10:30am. The ‘Breakfast Only Deal’ is open for reservations for stays between 24 August and 31 October until 27 August, with advance booking required three days prior to arrival date. Please note that room availability may be limited at the time of booking.
All guests will enjoy complimentary access to the exotic indoor swimming pool and fitness centre with wellness experiences. Suite guests will also benefit from the ‘Happy Hour at Living Room’ offer, where guests can enjoy unlimited light bites, desserts, alcoholic and soft drinks at the Italian restaurant Living Room from 5pm to 7pm daily, as well as complimentary access to the sauna.
This promotion offers guests the opportunity to experience wellness and pampering at the same time, making it the perfect package for those looking to indulge in some quality pampering.
Autumn Festival with Wellness: Dinéenblanc, Someday Festival, Green Camp Festival
After a hot summer, the cooler days of autumn herald the arrival of a variety of outdoor festivals. In September 2024, these festivals offer unique autumn experiences, giving you the chance to combine wellness and fun.
**Dinéen Blanc Seoul 2024
Taking place in Seoul on 28 September, Dinéenblanc Seoul 2024 is a global cultural event that originated in Paris in 1988, with a unique concept that invites participants to wear all white and enjoy an elegant picnic in the heart of the city. Participation is by invitation only through pre-registration, and the location is kept secret until the day of the event. Guests can pre-order a dinner set prepared by a French chef, or bring their own food to enjoy, and the event also features performances and musical entertainment. Signature activities include the ‘Napkin Wave’, ‘Sparkler Ignition’ and the ‘Best of the Best’ awards ceremony, which recognises the best dressed, couples and tables.
**Third Day Festival 2024
With the slogan ‘Just Music + Unique Festival’, Thumbay Festival 2024 will be held on 7 and 8 September at Nanji Hangang Park. A total of 22 musicians, including Jang Jang Ha, Thornapple, Silica Gel, Ten Cent, N-Flying, and Melomance, will take the stage, offering a variety of performances that reflect the latest music trends.
**Green Camp Festival 2024
The Green Camp Festival, which combines camping and picnicking, will be held from 28 to 29 September at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park in Incheon. Famous artists such as Shin Seung-hoon, Nell, X-Dinary Heroes, and Daybreak are scheduled to perform, and there will also be photo zones, camping brand exhibitions, meditation and yoga wellness programmes, with MZ generation's popular character ‘Dinotang’ as an ambassador.
These autumn festivals bring wellness and cultural experiences together, and offer a rich programme of activities to welcome the season.
Wellness and global exports: Bioara secures $1.5 million contract with Hong Kong-Japan buyers
Bioara, an agro-industrial company, has achieved remarkable results at the global Hong Kong Food Expo 2024. The company signed export contracts totalling US$1.5 million with buyers from Hong Kong and Japan. This comes just three months after Bioara won the Best Wellness Product award at the Saudi Food Show.
Bioara signed a US$500,000 export MOU with a Hong Kong buyer for Bonchowee products and a US$1 million export MOU and distributor agreement with a Japanese buyer for Bonchowee products and Ara301 ingredients. At the last Zoom meeting, Vivian Zhu, a representative of a Hong Kong buyer, said that she appreciated Bioara's boncho weed product, which has 180 times more active ingredients than Chinese cordyceps, and was convinced of its competitiveness in the Hong Kong market.
Japanese buyer Nasuyoshi Nasuishi said that he has been researching Bioara's ingredients for two years and plans to commercialise the Ara301 brand through Amazon Japan promotion and marketing in the Japanese market.
Bioara CEO Kim Hyo-jung said that through this achievement, she was able to hold in-depth meetings with many interested buyers, and stressed that aT's buyer matching programme was of practical help.
Wellness and physical activity: Online programmes are effective in improving employee health
Online programmes to increase physical activity can make a significant contribution to employee wellbeing, according to a new study. The World Health Organisation recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week for adults, and in Australia, 37 per cent of adults and 83 per cent of adolescents do not meet this recommendation.
The trial of an employee wellness programme called the 15 Minute Challenge, which involved 11,575 people across 73 companies in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, found that 36% of participants increased their physical activity to the recommended level after participating in the programme, with 59% exceeding the recommended amount. The programme increased physical activity by an average of 12 minutes per day and was associated with improvements in physical fitness, energy, overall health, sleep quality and mood.
Highlighting the positive impact of regular physical activity on physical and mental health, Dr Ben Singh from the University of South Australia said that increasing physical activity by 15 minutes a day through an online programme will help prevent chronic disease and establish regular exercise habits.
Wellness and Silver Town: ‘The Winners Gimpo’ in Gimpo
‘The Winners Gimpo’ Silver Town for middle-income seniors is under construction near Gimpo City Hall. It is attracting attention as a modern residence that supports ‘wellness’ and ‘active senior’ living. ‘The Winners Gimpo’ is aimed at seniors aged 60 and above, and is considered to be ‘cost-effective’ with a rental deposit of 400-600 million won and monthly living expenses of 1.5-1.9 million won.
The silver town is located near Gimpo South Station, which has good access to Seoul, and offers convenient transportation and close proximity to administrative and cultural facilities to enhance living convenience. It will be built on a land area of 7579㎡ with a gross floor area of 21,063㎡ and will consist of three buildings ranging from 2 basement floors to 4 floors above ground. With 218 units, it will provide healthcare services, breakfast, hotel-style housekeeping, and comfortable rest areas.
In particular, healthcare services will include screening programmes, emergency patient transfer, 24-hour nurse presence, physical and rehabilitation therapy, and personalised exercise therapy through an agreement with the 550-bed Gimpo Woori Hospital. Medical services and oriental medicine treatments are available to support healthy senior living, and there are a variety of other facilities, including a golf driving range, cinema, spa, sauna and gymnasium.
Outside, you can enjoy nature in the heart of the city with a walking path connected to Jangneung Mountain and various outdoor exercise facilities. ‘The Winners Gimpo’ is expected to be the best choice for seniors who want a leisurely and colourful daily life. For more information, please visit the official website.
Wellness meets K-Beauty: Meditok International Partners with Vella Group in the Philippines
Medytox International has signed a partnership agreement with Vella Group of the Philippines to expand its global business. The agreement is to expand its business into a global wellness tourism and advertising platform using MEDITOC, a K-Beauty platform being developed by Meditok International.
MEDITOC is an application that provides information on cosmetic and medical aesthetics, and will contribute to the wellness industry by combining K-Beauty content and tourism services. The platform is powered by the MDTI blockchain and enables participatory marketing with partners through big data analytics based on user data. MEDITOC is currently completing its beta version and is expected to be fully operational in Q4 2024.
VELLA Group is a company that works with Okada Manila, a five-star hotel in Manila, Philippines, and is expanding its business across various sectors including resorts, casinos, fine dining, retail shopping, and entertainment. Through this partnership, Meditok International will introduce MDTI-based payment systems and joint promotional marketing at Vella Group's properties in the Philippines.
‘Our partnership with VELLA Group strengthens our K-Beauty collaboration and cross-marketing alliance, and we look forward to creating new opportunities within the wellness industry,’ said Jae-Sam Lee, CEO of Meditok International. The agreement is expected to have a positive impact on the global wellness and K-Beauty industry.
Harmonising wellness and nature: Nami Island unveils the first registered garden in Chuncheon
Nami Island has been recognised as the largest private garden in Korea and officially certified as the first registered garden in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do. The ceremony, held on the 21st, also saw the signing of an MOU with Chuncheon City, marking a new turning point for Nami Island as a wellness tourism destination.
Nami Island has been registered as a garden covering an area of 34.7ha, which is about 2.6 times larger than the existing registered private gardens. The certification is regarded as the first step towards Chuncheon becoming a garden city, and highlights Nami Island's role as a clean garden that combines culture and nature.
The signing ceremony was attended by Chuncheon Mayor Yuk Dong-han, Chuncheon City Mayor Kim Jin-ho, and Chae Byeong-moon, head of the forest policy department of Gangwon-do Province. The long-standing relationship between Nami Island and the founder of Cheonliposu Arboretum was also celebrated. Nami Island was inaugurated from Metanaru, the hub port of the Bukhan River, and the ceremony was held in front of the tomb of General Nami, from which it derives its name, and a plaque was attached to the stone to reflect its harmony with nature.
The registration of Nami Island as a private garden is symbolic of the island's leading role in nature and wellness tourism, and is of great significance to Chuncheon, which is developing into a garden city. Namiseom will offer visitors a healing experience through 27 themed gardens and various wellness tourism programmes.
‘Through this certification, we will establish Nami Island as a place loved by everyone, and practice sustainable nature conservation and wellness tourism,’ said a representative from Nami Island. The registration is expected to raise Nami Island's status as a tourist destination and add value as a wellness tourism destination that emphasises harmony between nature and people.
Wellness meets hot springs: Asan City wins the Minister of Health and Welfare Award at the ‘2024 Wellness Fair’
Asan City won the Minister of Health and Welfare Award at the ‘2024 Wellness Fair’ held at Seoul Plaza on 13 August 2024, establishing its status in the field of wellness and hot springs. The award recognises the contribution of the city's hot spring health and healing programmes to improving the health of its citizens.
The 2024 Wellness Fair is an event that aims to create a wellness society that balances physical, mental and social health, and is hosted by Channel A and the Wellness Fair Organising Committee, and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In addition to the Minister of Health and Welfare award, Asan City recently won the Presidential Commendation for Meritorious Development of the Hot Spring Industry in 2023 and the Award for Excellence in the Manifesto of Foundation Heads for Best Practices in Local Cultural Revitalisation in 2024. These achievements are contributing to further cementing Asan's status as Korea's hot spring capital.
‘Wellness is an important factor in promoting people's health and happiness,’ said Park Kyung-gwi, Mayor of Asan City, in accepting the award. ’As a city with three hot spring districts, including the 1300-year-old Royal Hot Spring, we will continue to lead the Korean hot spring industry and strive to improve the health of the people.’ ‘By promoting the inclusion of hot spring therapy in health insurance, we will breathe new life into all hot spring cities in Korea and contribute to the improvement of people's health.’
The 2024 Wellness Fair will continue until 14 August at Seoul City Hall Plaza, where the city of Asan is hosting a booth promoting the 2025-26 Chungnam-Asan Visit Year, and hosting a forum with the Healthcare Spa Industry Promotion Agency on the theme of ‘Vision of the Hot Spring Wellness Industry: Hot Spring Medicine and Health Insurance System. Mayor Park listened to the wellness-related policies and projects of participating regions and organisations, and called for interest in Asan's wellness tourism resources.
Wellness Meets Luxury: Barneys New York Beauty Opens New Store at Lotte Department Store Gimpo Airport
Barneys New York Beauty, the beauty and wellness brand of Barneys New York, opened a new store at Lotte Department Store Gimpo Airport on 20 August 2024. The new store celebrates the brand's 100th anniversary with a unique store that integrates three categories: beauty, wellness and water.
Barneys New York Beauty creates products with pure, clean ingredients from around the world and is leading a new beauty trend that seeks fundamental inner transformation and healthy beauty. The store offers a luxury lifestyle through beauty, wellness, and water products, fulfilling the brand's philosophy of emphasising healthy self-care.
In particular, Barneys New York Beauty will offer a special water experience space alongside its wellness products to provide customers with a rich experience. The water on sale will be Northern Lights and PureDal Natural Water, which contains clean water from Norway and is designed to be safe for infants and children. The store is also committed to sustainability, using glass bottles made in Slovenia and eco-friendly paper packaging to replace plastic.
To commemorate the store's opening, Barneys New York Beauty Lotte Department Store Gimpo Airport is also offering a promotion where customers who visit the store and purchase products will receive free samples of the products.
The new store is the latest addition to Barneys New York Beauty's extensive range of products, which can be found on the brand's official website.
The Future of Wellness and Tourism: South Korea's Tourism Balance of Payments Deficit and Solutions
South Korea's tourism industry is facing a serious crisis. According to the Bank of Korea, the country's tourism deficit reached $6.48 billion in the first half of this year, marking the 61st consecutive quarter of deficits. The government has been trying to boost domestic tourism through ‘Travel Month,’ but these measures can only go so far. Without the ability to impose an international travel ban, there is a growing concern that quantitative attraction policies such as reaching 20 million international tourists could backfire.
Tourism experts emphasise that it is time to rethink the direction of tourism policy. The end goal of tourism is the ‘good life’ of the people, and to achieve this, the focus should be on improving the quality of tourism. They warn that artificially attracting tourists may actually reduce the quality of tourism. Therefore, it is urgent to develop the tourism industry as a strategic nurturing industry.
Korea's tourism industry still has a low growth rate compared to major OECD countries, which could be an opportunity. Given the industry's employment-generating effects and economic importance, it requires policy support from the government. Current taxation and electricity tariff policies for the hotel industry do not reflect the needs of the tourism industry.
The regional distribution of international tourists and the expansion of domestic tourism companies abroad are also important issues. The majority of foreign tourists visiting Korea are concentrated in Seoul, and a region-based, tailored tourism strategy is needed to address this. In addition, tourism companies should be encouraged to expand globally to earn foreign currency and create new jobs.
Another promising option is to focus on wellness as a core theme of tourism. Wellness tourism seeks to harmonise mental, social and physical health, and Korea is well positioned to be a wellness tourism destination with its traditional oriental medicine. The government and the tourism industry need to aggressively promote Korea as a wellness tourism destination through overseas promotion and wellness tourism experiences.
The tourism labour shortage is also an important issue that needs to be addressed. The lack of returning tourism workers and the shortage of new workers after COVID-19 is severe, and measures such as the immediate introduction of foreign workers and the utilisation of senior workers should be considered.
Korea's tourism industry must now move towards maximising its economic impact by building on its cultural and historical strengths. A policy shift and strategic fostering are needed for the future of the wellness and tourism industry.
Wellness and tourism in Jeju: New strategies are needed to cope with the introduction of municipalities
Changes in Jeju's tourism industry and strategies for coping with the introduction of basic municipalities on the island were discussed. On the 21st, the Jeju Institute held a seminar on ‘Tourism Impact and Response to the Establishment of Jeju-type Basic Local Governments’ to analyse in-depth the impact of the establishment of basic local governments on Jeju tourism.
At the seminar, Kim Dong-hyun, a research fellow at the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, emphasised the need to redefine the roles of the local government and the foundation in the tourism sector when introducing a basic municipality. He added that competition among local governments will be fierce, and a strategic approach is needed at the Jeju Island level. This is expected to lead to the development of Jeju's tourism industry and a more balanced regional development.
Yang Soo Yang, a professor at Jeju National University, presented the impacts and challenges of the introduction of basic local governments on Jeju tourism, and predicted the acceleration of tourism convergence. He explained that mass tourism, individual tourism, and family tourism will be transformed into rural experience tourism, wellness ecotourism, and village tourism. In particular, rural resource tourism, fishing village resource tourism, urban regeneration and cultural city development were proposed as tourism products linked to Jeju villages.
Professor Yang also suggested the possibility of fostering local communities through the ‘tourism circumference project’ and emphasised the importance of preparing a tourism destination strategy for basic local governments that takes into account sustainable development goals. He also mentioned the need to innovate digital tourism resources for Jeju-type basic local governments and suggested the development of a digital tourism maturity index.
‘Through this seminar, we will discuss various issues for the sustainable development of Jeju's tourism and lay the groundwork for the successful establishment of a basic municipality,’ said Yang Deok-soon, director of the Jeju Institute.
SK magic transforms into a wellness-based AI platform: Announces new business strategy
SK magic has announced its strategy to become an ‘artificial intelligence (AI) wellness platform company’. The company plans to innovate its flagship products such as water purifiers and air purifiers by incorporating big data-based AI technology into its existing business and introduce AI products in the wellness area.
According to SK magic on the 21st, it will transfer three items, including gas stoves, electric ranges, and electric ovens, to Kyungdong Navien on the 30th of next month and receive KRW 37 billion. The company plans to use the funds to develop wellness products using AI technology and expand its business into various wellness fields such as pet care, silver care, and healthcare.
SK magic has undergone significant changes since Kim took over as CEO. Last year, the company changed its leadership team, doubled its Magic Care (MC) workforce to increase the competitiveness of its rental business, and raised funds to platform its rental business and strengthen its corporate market. This year, the company has established an AI growth lab and is conducting research and development (R&D) to introduce products and services based on AI technology.
The company plans to apply new AI technologies through collaborations with promising global companies and expand into overseas markets to become a global company. At the 2024 Sales Performance Awards Ceremony held in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, CEO Kim Wan-sung called for continued growth and a leap to the top.
In the first half of this year, SK magic significantly improved its profitability by focusing on its core rental business and streamlining costs. Operating profit margin increased year-on-year, while cost of sales declined. The total number of rental accounts has continued to increase, with balanced growth in Korea and overseas.
‘We will continue to expand the wellness market through new products incorporating AI technology and pursue continuous business growth,’ said a representative from SK magic.
Geumsan reinvents regional value through synergy of wellness and tourism
Geumsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, is pursuing a regional reinvention strategy centred on wellness and tourism to overcome the challenges of a shrinking and ageing population. Geumsan is renowned as one of the world's leading ginseng growing regions and aims to create various synergies that combine health, tourism and healing.
Geumsan-gun plans to invest KRW 264.74 billion by 2026 to expand projects to combat population decline. This includes expanding the living population, creating jobs for young people, fostering local talent, and creating living infrastructure. In particular, projects centred on the theme of wellness and health are taking centre stage. A medicinal health forest, an atopic healing village, and various healing tourist attractions will be created.
Geumsan County is promoting rural study abroad and workcations to increase the local population and provide opportunities for rural experience, while developing traditional cultural experience sites and specialised tourist attractions. In addition, the Atopy Natural Healing Village will be expanded to 205 units by 2030, and public rental housing for young adults and newlyweds will be provided.
The city is also focusing on nurturing local talent, with educational programmes tailored to the needs of future society, support for entrepreneurship, and the development of young farmers. Other infrastructure improvements include the Bandabi Sports Centre, which provides a sports facility that can be used by people with and without disabilities to promote the health and vitality of the community.
‘Population influx is possible if settlement conditions are improved,’ says Geumsan, adding that the county will do its best to ensure that each project runs smoothly. Reinventing local values through wellness and tourism is expected to brighten the future of Geumsan-gun.