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| August 22nd, 2024 Korea Wellness News |
Welcome to our latest blog post, where we explore the exciting developments in Korea Wellness as of August 22nd, 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.
**Nexmos Launches Revolutionary ‘AptaminC’ Immune Boosting Product in the Wellness Space**.
On 21 August 2024, Nexmos announced that it has launched a new immune-boosting product using its internationally patented substance AptaminC. The product is in tablet form with vitamin C and DNA complex as the main ingredients, manufactured by Guangdong Healthbio and marketed by Nexmos.
Aptamin C is a source material that focuses on delaying the oxidation of vitamin C and maximising the efficacy of the antioxidant through DNA aptamer technology (SELEX). Through this technology, Nexmos has developed a DNA aptamer that binds to vitamin C and has been commercialising the product.
The product was recently approved as a food additive by the Korean Food and Drug Administration and has shown positive results in clinical trials to demonstrate its effect on the immune system. Nexmos will initially supply the product to the Vanobagi Wellness Clinic, and will offer it to consumers through various channels in the future.
‘We hope that the launch of the product will help many people, and we will continue to innovate in the field of wellness,’ said Jungwook Shim, CEO of Nexmos.
**Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, a heat wave invincibility zone with wellness
Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, has been attracting attention for its harmonious combination of nature and wellness. The cool valleys, mysterious ice caves, and pristine plateaus offer nature's gifts and respite from daily fatigue.
The Hangol Sumbau Trail on the northern plains of Jeongseon is an ideal trekking route through primeval forests and cool valleys. Opened in 2022, it is a new trail where clean air and pristine nature combine to heal the body and mind. The 7.7-kilometre trail has a gentle slope, and there are attractions and explanations along the way to keep you entertained.
In Jangyeol-ri, Jeongsun, there is a ‘mysterious ice cave’. Even in summer, the ice is frozen and the temperature is only 4.7 degrees Celsius, making it cool even in the middle of summer. The chill from this small fengchen is perfect for cooling off.
Haiwon Resort offers a cool landscape with Baekunsan Mountain in the background along the Untan Pass, which starts at Manhangjae at 1330 metres above sea level. The cable car and alpine coaster at the top of Haiwon Tower offer a unique experience that can be enjoyed even in summer.
Jeongseon offers a variety of wellness and healing programmes. Experiences such as the unique ‘Gondre Latte’ at Najeon Station Café, meditation yoga at Gangwon Land, and herbal tea-making at Gangwon Land offer relaxation for the body and mind in nature. You can also enjoy nearby attractions such as Yeoryangmyeon Aurage, the birthplace of Jeongseon Arirang.
**Late summer holiday at Hiwon Resort, the perfect blend of wellness and healing
At the end of summer, Haiwon Resort in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, is gaining attention as an ideal destination for travellers who value wellness and healing. The four-season resort offers a wide range of facilities and is located at the foot of the Baekdu Daegan River, which provides cool weather even in summer.
The Haiwon Undango Cable Car, which takes you to the highest point of the resort, Haiwon Tower (1340 metres above sea level), is the best way to enjoy the panoramic views and beautiful summer slopes. At the top of Haiwon Tower, you'll find the Haiwon Cloud Farm. This 1,652-square-metre farm is a great place to interact with sheep, rabbits, and other animals, and is very popular with families.
Hiwon Resort offers various programmes that focus on wellness and healing. In particular, the ‘Tree Doctor Job Experience’ programme, ecosystem stories through the ‘Snail Forest Path’ and ‘Starlight Night Walk’ provide an opportunity to experience true relaxation away from everyday life. The Starry Night Walk also offers stargazing and a romantic time to admire the night sky from the wellness centre's garden.
The resort's High One Waterworld is renowned for its excellent water quality, using first-class clean valley water. The waterworld, which consists of Korea's largest 3m artificial wave pool ‘Poseidon Wave’ and various attractions, is very popular among the MZ generation. ‘Round River’, a lazy river pool with a slow flow rate, is a popular facility loved by young and old alike.
Hiwon Resort also offers a variety of wellness programmes, including music therapy and foam roller detox, to help visitors relax their minds and bodies. The various wellness contents are available from 8:30am and can be freely selected according to the individual's physical condition and mood.
**Wellness and electronics: Neurotyx, an innovative solution to insomnia
Neurotyx is a startup that combines wellness and e-medicine to innovatively treat sleep disorders. Founded in 2015, the company is proposing a new treatment that reduces dependence on medication and minimises side effects. E-medicine is a device that treats diseases through electrical stimulation that mimics the biological signals generated by the brain and nerve cells, which is how Neurotyx hopes to address sleep disorders.
The company's WillSleep analyses brainwave signals during sleep and provides electrical stimulation to induce deep sleep. It provides personalised electrical stimulation for people with sleep disorders and improves sleep quality by providing the right stimulation even during stressful or tense situations. It's easy to use, just place it on your neck for 10 to 20 minutes an hour or two before bed. In clinical trials, 82% of participants experienced an improvement in sleep quality, and more than 80% showed a reduction in insomnia scores.
Neurotyx plans to launch WILLSLEEP as a wellness device through a Series A investment of 3 to 5 billion won. The company is also developing a combination sleep disorder medical device, WILLSLEEP-M, to treat a wider range of sleep disorders. To commercialise the electronic medicine, the company has applied for an electronic medicine pharmacy patent and plans to open a sleep centre to serve as an experience centre and sales channel.
In addition to sleep disorders, Neurotyx is developing e-medicine for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment and epilepsy, and aims to establish itself as a leader in the e-medicine market through its healthcare solutions. The innovative approach of e-pharmaceuticals is creating a new paradigm in wellness.
**Wellness and Industrial Transformation: Breaking through the Crisis with Disruptive Innovation
In response to the global recession, high exchange rates, and high inflation, major companies are embarking on industrial transformation. In particular, super-gap innovation using advanced technology is attracting attention. Samsung Electronics has invested about KRW 9.9 trillion in the semiconductor sector to produce the industry's first high-bandwidth memory (HBM) 3E for AI accelerators, and is developing the sixth generation of HBM4. SK Group provides AI memory solutions through its AI Infrastructure First strategy and continues to innovate in the fields of D-RAM and NAND Flash.
Hyundai Motor Company is reducing carbon emissions by developing ‘paintless composite moulding technology’ and applying low-temperature curing process technology to become carbon neutral. LG Electronics is expanding its home appliance and B2B businesses through Smart Life Solutions, and is also investing in AI-based robotics and electric vehicle charging. POSCO is realising carbon-neutral steelmaking and strengthening cost competitiveness through its Hyrex technology.
Lotte Group is expanding its global business in the food and health and wellness sectors, and is exploring new markets by opening malls in Southeast Asia and expanding its line-up of functional food products. This innovative approach is combining wellness and advanced technology across industries to enhance future growth potential. Through technological innovation, these companies are making a concerted effort to overcome the complex crisis and gain an edge in global competition.
**Convergence of Wellness and Medical Tourism: Mizumedhi Hospital Participates in 2024 Wellness Fair
Mizumedhi Hospital participated in the 2024 Wellness Fair to strengthen its position as a global medical tourism leader. The fair was held from 13 to 14 August at Seoul Plaza, hosted by Channel A and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Korea Food and Drug Administration, and Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The event provided an opportunity to experience the latest trends in the healthcare and wellness industry and future healthcare technologies.
At the ‘Gangseo Miracle Medical Special Zone’ booth, Mizumedicine Hospital introduced its specialised medical care system for responding to the climate crisis, infectious diseases, and creating a healthy society. In particular, the recently opened ‘Dear One Postnatal Care Centre’ attracted much attention as part of its efforts to respond to the declining birthrate. The hospital is the only maternity hospital in Gangseo-gu, and operates an infertility centre and delivery centre, providing a comprehensive care system from the birth of life to pre- and post-natal care.
Mizu Medical Hospital's participation contributes to establishing its role in the future healthcare industry through the convergence of wellness and medical tourism, and emphasises the importance of strengthening social safety nets and healthcare.
**Wellness and scent healing: Aromatherapy Association to host ‘Subconscious Perfume Creation’ experience booth at 2024 Wellness Fair**.
The Aromatherapy Association of Korea hosted a booth at the 2024 Wellness Fair, where the ‘Subconscious Perfume Making’ experience was a huge hit. The event was held at Seoul Plaza on 13 and 14 August and was hosted by Channel A and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. The Wellness Fair was designed as a place for communication to promote harmony between physical and mental health.
The Aromatherapy Association provided volunteer instructors for the event and offered a ‘subconscious perfume making’ experience. The experience consisted of creating a personalised perfume by choosing a scent from a selection of 15 fragrances, and was attended by more than 400 people on the day after the first 200 people registered in advance.
‘Subconscious Perfume Making’ is a programme that uses scent to recognise and resolve inner issues, providing an opportunity to reflect on oneself through the scent of perfume. Participants created a personalised perfume by mixing selected fragrances in a perfume base and then explored their subconscious through their interpretation of the fragrance.
‘It was meaningful to promote the charm of scent healing and provide various experiences on the theme of wellness and health at this event,’ said an official from the Aromatherapy Association, adding that they plan to hold the same experience at the Medi Beauty Industry Exhibition in Gwangju in September.
**Mayfield Hotel Seoul, a Wellness and Healing Destination, Named Outstanding Wellness Destination for the Second Consecutive Year
The five-star Mayfield Hotel Seoul, located in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, has been named an Outstanding Wellness Destination for 2024-2025. This is the second time the hotel has been recognised, having won the award in 22-23, and continues to build on its reputation as a wellness and healing destination. The hotel stands out for its various healthcare programmes and healing/meditation themes set in nature.
The hotel is spread over 30,000 square metres of land with beautiful gardens and wellness infrastructure including swimming pools, gymnasium, golf course, spa and Pilates. The ‘Wellness Forest’ package includes breakfast, a wellness menu and signature teas for one night in a superior room, and a health programme with yoga and meditation instructors to heal the body and mind.
In addition to the natural beauty of the grounds, which have been cultivated for over 60 years and feature more than 70 species of flowers, Mayfield Hotel also offers the unique experience of playing a round of golf on its par-3 golf course. The golf course consists of nine holes, with a variety of distances, hazards and bunkers to develop your game. There is also a putting zone for efficient practice.
To be selected as an Outstanding Wellness Tourism Destination, destinations are evaluated on the appropriateness of their wellness content, their efforts to attract tourists, and their potential for future development. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) selects places that offer unique wellness experiences in Korea's beautiful landscape under six themes: nature and forest healing, beauty and spa, healing and meditation, oriental medicine, stay, and food. Mayfield Hotel meets these criteria and has established itself as a wellness destination.
**Wellness and Blue Road, Yeongdeok Culture and Tourism Foundation trained 22 docents**.
On 21 August, the ‘Daegeo-good Blue Road_Gil Dongmu (Commentator) Training Course’ organised by Yeongdeok Culture and Tourism Foundation concluded. In this course, 22 participants were trained as Blue Road commentators. The course was held from 29 July to 21 August, and participants received 32 hours of intensive training, twice a week, to learn about the Blue Road, its ecology and safety.
The Blue Road Wayfarer Training Course is aimed at local residents to train interpreters who can further enrich the Blue Road as a wellness tourism destination in the region. The participants, including those in their 70s and above, participated enthusiastically in the training and successfully completed the on-the-job training.
As part of the training programme, tourists who wish to receive a Blue Road interpretation will be able to receive free interpretation services through formal application from September. At the completion ceremony, Kim Kwang-yeol, chairman of the Yeongdeok Culture and Tourism Foundation, said, ‘The role of the guides is important for the Blue Road to become the best wellness tourism destination in Korea,’ and urged the guides to take responsibility for making the Blue Road the best trekking destination in the country.
The project is part of the ‘2024 Regional Tourism Promotion Organisation (DMO) Development Support Project’ hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and administered by the Korea Tourism Organization, and more information can be found on the official website of the Yeongdeok Culture & Tourism Foundation.
**Wellness meets maritime tourism, Incheon Port Golden Harbour attracts global investors**.
Incheon Port Golden Harbour is attracting attention as a marine tourism mecca that encompasses sea and sky. Incheon Port Authority (IPA) has successfully secured investment for two of the 11 parcels (Cs8-9) in Golden Harbor in December last year, and is now holding a public offering for a private operator for the Cs1 parcel. The offer will run from 27 June to 4 October, and investors are showing strong interest in Golden Harbor, which has emerged as a global maritime tourism destination.
Golden Harbour is a 427,657.1 square metre commercial site in the Incheon Free Economic Zone, with an unrivalled geographical advantage of connecting the sea and sky. It is located 15 minutes from Incheon International Airport and has excellent access to major cities in the Seoul metropolitan area. In addition, Incheon Port's International Passenger Terminal and Cruise Terminal are nearby, making it a centre for cruise tourism such as Fly&Cruise.
The IPA has recently significantly improved the investment climate in Golden Harbour with the amendment of laws to attract investment and the announcement of plans by global company Therme Group to develop a wellness spa and resort. Therme Group will develop a European-style spa resort complex at Golden Harbour Cs8-9, a luxury resort that will combine wellness and nature to offer visitors a new leisure and wellness experience.
The IPA is continuing its discussions with various global investors to successfully secure investment for the project, and plans to further promote the investment value of Golden Harbour through invited presentations and site tours in the second half of the year. ‘Through Golden Harbour, we will build an innovative and sustainable marine tourism infrastructure and present a new tourism paradigm,’ said Kyungkyu Lee, President of IPA.
Golden Harbor is expected to become an attractive tourist destination for domestic and international tourists through the convergence of wellness and marine tourism.
**Hongcheon Sun Village, a sanctuary for wellness and healing, is in the spotlight**.
Seon Village in Hongcheon, Gangwon-do, is attracting attention as a sanctuary for wellness and healing. Sun Village was introduced as a wellness resort in a tranquil forest on the popular OBS programme ‘Find My Home’ on 15 August. Founded by Dr Lee Si-hyung in 2007, it is the first wellness resort in Korea that offers a variety of wellness programmes for healthy living.
Sun Village provides a smartphone-free environment where guests can practice digital detox, and is known for its programs such as ‘forest therapy’ and ‘carbonated spa’. Forest therapy, which is held in the forest, helps to restore the mind and body through interaction with nature full of phytoncides, while the carbonated spa is effective for blood circulation and skin health.
Under the Sun Village's ‘Ssokdadong’ philosophy, guests have the opportunity to experience a healthy lifestyle by eating less and moving more. Bichae Restaurant serves low-carbon local food using seasonal ingredients and traditional fermented foods, and its cuisine is so popular with visitors that it has been published in a recipe book.
<In addition to the unique guest rooms, Find My Home has introduced a dog-friendly area and trekking trails. The resort also offers a variety of programmes to help guests relax and balance their minds and bodies, including prop therapy, singing ball meditation, and woodworking.
With its cool summer and warm winter clean oxygen environment, the village is a perfect place for those looking for healing. Sun Village officials said they hope that through the special healing programmes introduced in ‘Find My Home,’ many modern people will be able to heal their minds and bodies with nature and lead a healthy life.
Through the ‘Healing Week 5-Day Living Package’, Sun Village offers a variety of experiences and healthy meals to support a relaxing and wellness experience.
**Wellness and grounding effects, spotlighting Goryebul Beach and Sangdansan Gwanu-dae
Yeongdeok Gorebul Beach and Sangdansan Gwajeodae are attracting attention for their wellness and grounding effects. Gorebul Beach is part of the Yeongdeok Blue Road, a 64.6-kilometre coastal trekking course on the Haeparang-gil, and is emerging as a barefooting spot. Barefoot walking, also known as earthing, is said to prevent inflammation and chronic diseases and improve aging by absorbing free electrons into the body by stepping barefoot on the ground.
In particular, the course along the white sandy beaches of the seven beaches of Yeongdeok Blue Road is famous for its ‘super earthing’ course. Super-ashing is barefoot walking on moist ground such as beach sand, which is effective in improving blood circulation and insomnia. Goryebul Beach is popular for its 8km long white sandy beach and clear emerald waters, and is known as one of the famous beaches in the East Sea along with Daejin Beach.
Gwajeodae Beach is also popular for barefoot walking. Gwandangsan Gwanjeodae is a spot where you can take in five spectacular views at once: Goryebul Beach, Yeonghae and Byeongok fields, Songcheon River, and Cloisonné Mountain at the end of Baekdudaegan, and recently, a natural ochre path has been created where you can enjoy barefoot walking in nature.
Yeongdeok-gun is strengthening its wellness experience based on these tourism resources, and will showcase high-quality wellness contents such as barefoot walking, meditation, and natural food through the ‘Yeongdeok International Wellness Festa 2024’ from 3 to 6 October. Yeongdeok County Governor Kim Kwang-yeol asked for a lot of interest and participation, and said that he would provide an opportunity to experience health and healing through wellness and grounding effects.
**Wellness and Gangwon-do Tourism to Strengthen Promotional Marketing in Thailand**.
Gangwon Tourism Foundation will participate in the 47th PATA Travel Mart 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand, to promote Gangwon tourism. At the event, various contents such as wellness, MICE, Korean Wave, and winter experience tourism will be introduced along with major tourist destinations in Gangwon Province.
On 26 August, the eve of Travel Mart, ‘GANGWONderful NIGHT IN THAILAND’ will be held for the travel industry and media in Thailand. The briefing will focus on Gangwon-do's wellness tourism, Hallyu contents, and MICE destinations, and will encourage the development of Gangwon-do tourism products through business networking with the Thai travel industry.
Through the briefing, the Gangwon Tourism Foundation aims to promote the province's beautiful tourist destinations and wellness-related contents and attract inbound tourists from Thailand during the winter season. ‘We will promote the various attractions of Gangwon-do and develop new tourism products in collaboration with the tourism industry to continue to attract inbound tourists,’ said Choi Sung-hyun, CEO of Gangwon Tourism Foundation.
**Samsung Electronics unveils AI screen technology with enhanced wellness functions**.
Samsung Electronics unveiled a new AI screen technology at its digital research centre in Suwon on the 22nd, cementing its position in the AI TV market. The announcement reflects Samsung's intention to make consumers' lives richer and more valuable by enhancing various functions related to wellness.
The AI screen technology introduced by Samsung Electronics is divided into three main functions. Firstly, the ‘Empowerment & Companion’ function, where the AI TV acts as the centrepiece of the smart home and helps connect with IoT devices. The built-in SmartSync hub allows you to control your home's smart devices without the need for a separate hub device, and the 3D map view gives you a bird's eye view of the status of your home's devices.
Secondly, the ‘Storytelling & Wellness’ feature provides the optimal viewing experience based on your mood and situation. It uses natural language-based AI voice technology to deliver personalised content and automatically adjusts the picture quality based on the content genre to maximise immersion. Features for people with low vision and hearing impairment have also been enhanced, with Relumino mode and audible subtitles to improve the viewing experience.
Third, the ‘Artificial Intelligence’ feature enhances the immersive experience of content by providing optimal picture quality and sound. Upscaling technology enables clear viewing of low-quality content, and separates dialogue from background music to make it easier to hear what is being said.
Alongside the technology announcement, Samsung also announced that customers who purchase AI TVs will receive free upgrades to the latest AI features in Tizen OS for the next seven years. This will give users access to a range of services and content, including Samsung TV Plus, Gaming Hub, SmartSync, and more.
**The new Samsung TV Plus, Gaming Hub, and SmartSync will be available to users for free for seven years.
As the holiday season draws to a close, those looking for a more secluded getaway may want to consider a trip with a wellness and healing theme. Here are some wellness and healing spots in Jeju and Gochang.
**Wellness in Jeju
Jeju Island offers a variety of wellness destinations in a pristine natural setting. Jeju Island and the Jeju Tourism Organization have selected 12 wellness tourist spots, of which Merchewat Forest Path, Seogwipo Healing Forest, Papaville, and Phantom Forest Gogotjawal Park stand out in the field of nature and forest healing. Here, visitors can find peace of mind and body in Jeju's pristine nature through programmes led by forest healing instructors and forest interpreters.
In the healing and meditation category, Jeju 901, Quida Sun Resort, Thinking Garden, and Haevichi Hotel & Resort were selected. These venues offer structured programmes including meditation, tea ceremony, vegan food, and more to help you focus on your inner voice and experience the benefits of meditation.
In the beauty and spa category, WE Hotel Wellness Centre stands out. It offers wellness programmes that pursue both health and beauty through ‘hydrotherapy’ facilities and beauty care programmes.
The wellness community sector includes Shinheung 2-ri Camellia Village, Hoesu Daok, and Scene of Jeju, where you can experience Jeju's unique culture through traditional culture and community programmes.
**Healing in Gochang
The National Gochang Healing Forest, located in Gochang, Jeollabuk-do, has been designated as a ‘2024 Jeonbuk-type Healing Tourism Destination’. It is the first healing forest in Jeollabuk-do based on the dense cypress forest in Munsusan. Gochang Healing Forest is classified as a nature and healing area, and operates forest healing programmes for vulnerable people and forest travel programmes using local resources in Jeonbuk. It also plans to improve facilities for the convenience of tourists and promote shared growth projects to generate income for local communities.
Wellness and healing trips in Jeju and Gochang provide an opportunity to escape from the hectic pace of everyday life, restore physical and mental health, and provide deep healing through communion with nature.
**Wellness and Digital Biomarkers: From Diagnosis to Treatment of Mental Illnesses***.
HAI is developing innovative digital therapeutics to diagnose, monitor and treat mental illness based on digital biomarkers. Digital therapeutics are gaining traction because they use software to prevent and manage disease, saving time and money over traditional pharmaceuticals. They are expected to be highly utilised in the field of mental health.
Hai has a mission to ‘contribute to everyone living happily with a healthy mind’ and has recently launched various services and products that utilise digital biomarkers. CEO Jinwoo Kim sets the vision and direction of Hai, and while the company initially developed companion robots for the elderly, it has since shifted to digital medicine and is focusing on developing mental health-related therapies.
Hai currently operates several wellness services, including Mind Check, a diagnosis and assessment service for emotional disorders, Mind Check for employees, Mind Garden, a mental health management service, and Samirang, a dementia prevention solution. All of these services are provided in the form of apps, and the ‘Mind Check’ service, in particular, has been supplied to the Korea Medical Research Institute and has been used by 900,000 people.
In the field of digital therapeutics, the company is developing ‘Engzairex’, a treatment for anxiety disorders; ‘RePitch’, a treatment for post-stroke paralysis; ‘AlzGuard’, a non-face-to-face dementia diagnosis and treatment service; and ‘Ribbon’, a diagnosis and treatment service for sarcopenia. Hai uses digital biomarkers to measure patients' conditions through heart rate variability, eye tracking, and voice signals, and provides personalised treatment through AI agents.
Hai aims to expand globally, both domestically and internationally, and in 2023, the company established a US subsidiary and is working on a joint project with Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2024, it plans to prepare for an initial public offering (IPO) with additional international trials.
Hai's goal is to provide universal healthcare globally, delivering effective treatment through digital therapeutics in areas with limited access to healthcare. In doing so, it is bringing isolated people to healing and creating a new paradigm for digital wellness and treatment.
**Wellness and tourism resources: Incheon Tourism Organization's Imagination Platform management strategy**.
The Incheon Tourism Organization (ITO) has established a new mid- to long-term management strategy to boost revenue from its major projects, including the Sangsang Platform, Songdo Convensia, and Harbour Park Hotel. The study is planned to be applied for five years from 2024 to 2029, with a total project cost of approximately 49.6 million won.
Sangsang Platform is part of the ‘Jemulpo Renaissance’ project, Incheon's No. 1 pledge, and is a large-scale cultural complex located in the inner harbour of Incheon Port. Consisting of a media art content exhibition hall and F&B facilities, Sangsang Platform is an important project for the revitalisation of Incheon's central and eastern districts and is highly anticipated by the local community. The Incheon Tourism Organization will establish a management strategy and complement its operational direction to ensure the successful operation of the Imagination Platform.
At Songdo Convensia, measures will be explored to attract large-scale international conferences and events. It aims to attract domestic and international tourists, and plans to establish a strategy that includes expanding medical tourism and wellness contents. In particular, new business plans will be considered to reflect the changed nature of the tourism industry after COVID-19.
The Incheon Tourism Organization will also include complementing island experiences and festivals with tourism resources and reorienting the organisation's operations. Through the study, the organisation will improve its existing businesses and promote new ones in line with the changing environment of the tourism industry.
The establishment of Incheon Tourism Organization's management strategy is considered an important first step towards efficiently utilising wellness and tourism resources such as the Imagination Platform and contributing to the local economy and tourism industry.
**Harmony of wellness and hanok: Gyeongwonjae Ambassador Incheon near Songdo Central Park
Located near Songdo Central Park, Gyeongwonjae Ambassador Incheon is a five-star hanok hotel that harmoniously combines the beauty of traditional Korean hanok with modern wellness elements. Opened in 2005, the hotel was designed by Korean hanok masters, including UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity-listed architect Choi Ki-young, to create a sophisticated traditional hanok. In 2016, the hotel was certified by the Korea Tourism Organization as the country's first five-star hanok hotel, a status it still holds today.
Gyeongwonjae has a total of 30 independent guest rooms, each equipped with a hinoki bathtub, a cypress wood bathtub, for a relaxing soak. Outside the rooms, guests can experience traditional Korean culture first-hand, with programmes such as tea ceremony and hanbok experience. In recent years, the number of foreign guests has increased, and the hotel has become popular with a wide range of international visitors.
The hotel's on-site Korean restaurant, Sura, offers a wide range of menus, from courtly meals to simple Korean dishes, and is open to non-hotel guests. In the future, Kyungwonjae plans to expand its wellness tourism programme to include traditional brewing and meditation experiences.
By combining hanok tradition with modern wellness, Ambassador Kyung Won-jae Incheon offers domestic and international tourists the opportunity to experience unique Korean culture and is positioning itself as Incheon's leading wellness destination.