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| August 27th, 2024 Korea Wellness News |
Welcome to our latest blog post, where we explore the exciting developments in Korea Wellness as of August 27th, 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.
**Blending luxury and wellness: Paradise, Jangchung-dong's high-end hotel marks a new turning point***.
The hotel industry has been revitalised and international tourist arrivals have returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. While large luxury hotels have been creating a positive atmosphere with differentiated marketing and business expansion, Paradise has marked two important turning points this year. The first is the designation of a conglomerate group and the second is the listing on the KOSPI. Paradise announced plans to build a five-star ‘luxury high-end hotel’ in Jangchung-dong, Seoul by 2028.
The hotel will be built with an investment of KRW 550 billion and will have around 200 rooms, including accommodation for VVIP foreign tourists and wellness facilities. Paradise is also expecting strong growth in the hotel sector, driven by the recovery of its casino business and integrated resorts after the pandemic. In particular, the company is focusing on strengthening its hotel portfolio, with sales at integrated resorts surging 31.4 per cent year-on-year.
Taking advantage of its listing on the KOSPI, Paradise plans to secure a leading position in the high-end hotel market with its Jangchung-dong high-end hotel project. This is a key puzzle to complete Paradise's growth strategy, ‘Beyond No.1, Value Up Project,’ and is expected to become a new tourist attraction with luxurious rooms and wellness services.
**Olga Whole Foods and Wellness to work together to revitalise distribution of agricultural and forestry products in Yeongdeok-gun
Olga Whole Foods has partnered with Yeongdeok-gun and Yeongdeok-gun Forestry Association to revitalise the distribution of agricultural and forestry products and processed products in Yeongdeok-gun. On 26 August 2024, at an agreement ceremony held at the Yeongdeok County Office in Gyeongbuk, Olga Whole Foods pledged to cooperate with Yeongdeok County and the Yeongdeok-gun Forest Association to expand sales and promote consumption of agricultural and forest products.
The agreement is aimed at boosting the distribution of Yongdeok's excellent agricultural and forestry products and processed foods and promoting the local economy, and Olga aims to expand the market for organic and pesticide-free products in Yongdeok through this cooperation. In particular, Olga will jointly develop meal kits using Yeongdeok snow crab, wild matsutake, fruit, and spinach, and strengthen its competitiveness in the processed food sector.
As a leader in eco-friendly food distribution, Olga plans to promote the consumption of local agricultural and forestry products, build a sustainable food distribution system, and fulfil its social responsibilities through this agreement. ‘This agreement will contribute to revitalising the local economy and promoting the consumption of excellent agricultural and forestry products,’ said Soon-wook Kwon, CEO of Olga Whole Foods.
**Lotte Holdings establishes CVC to strengthen its wellness sector**.
Japan's Lotte Holdings has established a corporate-led venture capital (CVC) to strengthen the wellness and bio sectors. Lotte Holdings will invest JPY3 billion (approximately KRW27.6 billion) to invest in startups in the biopharmaceutical sector, particularly antibody drugs and antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). The move is part of Lotte Holdings' strategy to increase its annual sales to more than ¥250 billion ($2.3 trillion) in the long term.
At a business strategy briefing, Lotte Holdings President Kenichi Tamatsuka emphasised the need for the Japanese and South Korean Lotte groups to work together. The Korean Lotte Group is also expanding into new businesses, including the bio and wellness sector, and Lotte Biologics has entered the biopharmaceutical market in collaboration with a US pharmaceutical company.
Mr Tamatsuka emphasised the need to create new added value through Lotte Group's integrated strategy, and Japan's Lotte Holdings is aiming to increase profit margins through its bio business and generate additional revenue through its foray into the health sector. Shin Yoo-yeol, the eldest son of Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, was recently appointed as a director of Lotte Holdings in Japan, marking the succession of Lotte management in Korea and Japan.
**Incheon Tourism Organization to host ‘Incheon Wellmedia Festa 2024’, a convergence of wellness and medical tourism**.
The Incheon Metropolitan City and Incheon Tourism Organization will host the ‘Incheon Wellmedia Festa 2024’ from 29 to 31 August at Songdo Convensia and Songdo Sunrise Park. The festival will showcase innovative approaches to wellness and medical tourism under the theme ‘Incheon, the Garden of Healing’.
Key events include the Incheon Wellmedia Promotion Pavilion, Incheon Wellmedia Day (outdoor event), Wellness and Medical Tourism Council Meeting, and Convergence Forum. The pavilion will host various programs such as singing ball experience, lighthouse making, concentric healing, personal colour experience, and healthy snack tasting, as well as giveaways through social media events. The pavilion is part of the ‘2024 Beauty & Healthcare Show’ in Hall 4 of Songdo Convensia.
On the 31st, the ‘Incheon Well Medicine Day’ will be held at Songdo Sunrise Park, and will include an Earthing programme by the Right Step Institute. Participants will have the opportunity to learn proper posture and gait, and relieve stress with sound meditation and group games with the sounds of nature.
On the 30th, Incheon's wellness and medical council members will gather for the third quarterly meeting and convergence forum to discuss the future of wellness and medical tourism in Incheon.
‘Through this Wellmedia Festa, Incheon will lead the way in the convergence of wellness and medical tourism, allowing more tourists to enjoy a time of healing,’ said Baek Hyun, president of Incheon Tourism Organization.
**Representative Kim Yoon-duk proposes ‘Healing Tourism Industry Act’ to revitalise wellness and healing tourism***.
On the 27th, Kim Yoon-duk, Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Korea, introduced a bill to promote the healing tourism industry on behalf of Jeonju-gap, Jeonbuk. The bill is designed to lay the legal foundation for revitalising the healing and wellness tourism industry in regions including the Jeonbuk autonomous region.
Since the recent COVID-19 pandemic, interest in wellness and healing has surged, and according to the Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness tourism market is expected to reach $657 billion in 2022 and $1,399.6 billion by 2027. In order to systematically develop the healing tourism industry, Kim's bill clearly stipulates the definition, resources and facilities of healing tourism, and requires the establishment of a basic plan every five years and an implementation plan every year.
The main contents of the bill include the registration of healing tourism businesses and the introduction of a certification system for excellent healing tourism facilities, the designation of healing tourism industrial complexes in Jeollabuk-do and their linkage to the local economy, research and development in the healing tourism industry, and the training of specialised personnel. In particular, it adds ‘barefoot walking’ to the definition of healing tourism resources and lays the groundwork for Jeonbuk to be designated as a healing tourism industrial complex.
‘The Jeonbuk Autonomous Region has excellent resources suitable for the healing tourism industry, including the eastern and western coastal areas,’ said Representative Kim Yoon-duk. ’Through this bill, the Jeonbuk Autonomous Region will achieve a quantum leap in the development of a new tourism industry centred on the healing industry.’
**Sweetcheer Officially Launches ‘Camp & Relax’ for Wellness and Stress Management**.
Sweetcheer has officially launched ‘Calm & Relax’, a dietary supplement for stress and mental care. Developed for consumers who value wellness and psychological stability, the product contains L-theanine to help relieve stress, vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid to increase vitality. The product, which is triple-certified by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, uses premium ingredients from Umalaxmi Organics in India and DSM in Europe to ensure quality.
CAM & RELAX is easy to take in powder form, and the individual stick packaging is hygienic and convenient. It comes in refreshing and sweet flavours such as grapefruit, Moro blood orange, and jujube to satisfy consumers. The company recently received a positive response in its Wadiz funding, exceeding its goal by more than 1,700 per cent.
A representative from Sweet Cheer said, ‘Kam & Relax is certified for functionality and safety by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and is manufactured in a GMP-certified facility, so it can be consumed with confidence.’ ‘It is a product suitable for those who want to feel calm and energised in their daily lives.’ NAVER Smart Store is currently offering a discount event to commemorate the launch.
**The rental home appliance industry, which has lost its seasonality, is focusing on wellness and lifestyle**.
The rental home appliance industry is moving away from selling seasonal products and focusing on creating demand centred on lifestyle. This is because the demand for seasonal appliances has recently faded due to environmental factors and changing customer lifestyles.
According to the industry on the 27th, products such as ice purifiers have been selling well beyond the peak summer season. This shows that the demand for ice is persistent throughout the year, thanks to the home cafe trend and the spread of the ‘freeze-dry’ culture.
In response to this, the rental home appliance industry is pursuing a strategy to strengthen products and services that meet people's changing lifestyles. Coway has expanded into the mattress, massage chair and bed market with the launch of the BRERX sleep and healing care brand, which recorded its largest quarterly sales in the second quarter of this year. The brand has been successfully established in the market by reflecting the trend of emphasising high-quality sleep and healing.
Cheonghonice has strengthened its ‘Mattress Care Service’ to emphasise hygiene and cleanliness in customers' lives, offering a professional cleanliness management service consisting of seven steps. Recently, the company has been actively responding to changes in the market by launching new products such as pet care products and compact massage chairs.
SK magic has announced its transition to a wellness platform that incorporates AI technology and aims to grow in wellness areas such as pet, silver care, and healthcare. It is accelerating the development of AI-based products and services to keep pace with the changing market.
The rental home appliance industry is more influenced by consumers' lifestyles than by seasonal changes, and is strengthening its competitiveness in the market with innovative products and services that reflect this.
**Wellness, art dining, and tango in a car-free diving bridge...‘Tuk Tuk Tuk Festival’
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on 27 September that it will hold the ‘Submarine Bridge Tuk Tuk Tuk Festival’ every Sunday from 1 to 9 p.m. from 1 to 27 October at the Banpo Han River Park Submarine Bridge and Moonlight Square. The festival will feature a rich programme centred on various themes including art, health, play, and relaxation.
In particular, wellness-related programmes are attracting attention at the festival. On 1 September, the art dining programme ‘99 Minutes of Art Together/99 Minutes’ will be held, a project that brings together citizens, artists, farmers, and chefs to share seasonal dishes made with local produce. Participants will have a unique experience combining art and dining through improvised performances.
On 22 September and 6 October, ‘Submerged Bridge Sunset Yoga’ and ‘Wellness Seoul’ will be held. Sunset Yoga is a yoga programme set against the backdrop of the sunset over the Han River, designed to help relieve stress and improve well-being. Wellness Seoul offers wellness activities with dogs and a ‘Balance Cycle Zone’ for children.
On 29 September, the ‘Han River Tango Festival’ will take place, with tango dancers performing and one-day tango classes. On 13 October, the ‘I'm a Fashion Model’ programme will be held, giving participants the opportunity to walk the runway of a fashion show.
Other programmes include the ‘Han River Runfesta’, ‘Silent DJing’ and ‘Guerrilla Concert’, and more details and advance reservations can be found on the festival's official website.
‘Through the Tuk Tuk Tuk Festival, we will provide a time for people to enjoy various cultural experiences along with the charm of the Han River,’ said Joo Yong-tae, head of Seoul's Future Han River Headquarters.
**The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort offers wellness and family-friendly facilities
The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort on the island of Hawaii has launched a range of wellness and family-friendly amenities. The resort is located on the Kohala Coast in northwest Hawaii, with 249 guestrooms offering ocean views of the beautiful Hapuna Beach.
The resort offers a wide range of facilities with wellness and family travelling in mind. There are four restaurants and bars, an outdoor pool, a wellness centre & spa, a kids' club, and the Hapuna Golf Course, where guests can play golf and relax at the same time. Children under the age of five enjoy a complimentary buffet breakfast at the resort, and there are complimentary laundry facilities for families.
The Westin Hapuna's Hawaiian Cultural Centre offers a variety of programs to immerse guests in Hawaiian culture. Activities include Hawaiian sing-alongs, feather craft classes, making traditional anklets, playing the ukulele and learning to design kapa, a traditional textile.
The resort's beach, Hapuna Beach, has white sand and excellent water quality, and guests can rent a variety of water equipment, including snorkelling and canoes, for free. Guests who book a stay at the resort also receive a fresh lei necklace as a token of welcome, a welcome drink, Wi-Fi access, eco-bags, reusable tumblers, discounts at the golf pro shop, evening shuttle service, and more.
The Westin Hapuna is located on the largest of the Hawaiian Islands, approximately 45 minutes by air from Honolulu International Airport on the island of Oahu.
**K-MedWellness Festa 2024 Closes with Possibilities for Wellness and Global Content**.
The 2024 K-MediWellness Festa, held from 24 to 26 August 2024 at the Daegu EXCO, successfully concluded with more than 20,000 visitors. The festival was themed ‘Korean Medicine, Pursuing Wellness’ and demonstrated the potential of Daegu's K-Medi Wellness Tourism as a global content by promoting its excellence internationally.
The event was organised into five themed pavilions, offering a variety of experiences. At the ‘Korean Medicine Experience Hall’, medical treatments and chuna experiences in various fields such as paediatrics, adolescents, women's diseases, and geriatric diseases were very popular among visitors. The ‘Korean Medicine Industry Pavilion’ showcased the technologies and products of related companies, while the ‘K-Beauty Pavilion’ promoted medical tourism in Daegu and allowed visitors to experience beauty products such as aroma, natural soap, and herbal shampoo.
At the K-Wellness Culture Centre, various wellness lectures such as healing concerts, aroma DIY, mother-of-pearl crafts, and foot baths using Korean medicinal herbs were well received. In particular, more than 3,000 foreigners from Japan, China, the U.S., the U.K., and India were highly satisfied with the opportunity to experience K-Medicine firsthand.
The festival introduced Daegu's ‘K-MediWellness’ culture, including traditional games, traditional hanbok experience, embroidery workshops, night gate dipping, and herbal tea tasting, which were well received by visitors. ‘This event confirmed the international interest in Korean medicine and wellness,’ said Choi Un-baek, head of the Office of Future Innovation and Growth, ’and we plan to actively promote various wellness medical tourism projects next year.’
**Gwangju Women's University establishes itself as a cradle for wellness and fostering future female talent***.
Gwangju Women's University (President Lee Sun-jae) is attracting attention for operating specialised departments and building an innovative educational environment to foster future female talent. Gwangju Women's University operates departments that respond to the needs of future society, such as the Department of Aviation Service, the Department of Beauty Science, and the Department of Pet Health, and fosters human resources with the latest technology and practical experience.
The university is also active in educational innovation related to wellness. Gwangju Women's University is the first in Korea to build an anatomy 3D-VR lab and a wellness beauty AR lab to provide students with education using cutting-edge technology. In the Wellness Beauty AR Lab, students can practice hairstyling, make-up, and skin care techniques through virtual reality, which helps them improve their practical skills and develop their creativity.
Gwangju Women's University has also been ranked No. 1 in employment rate among four-year women's universities nationwide for nine consecutive years, and operates excellent employment and start-up support programmes. It has been selected for various support projects by the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Welfare and the Korea Scholarship Foundation, and is planning to establish the Department of Future Convergence and the Department of Mind Education for adult learners.
‘Gwangju Women's University is nurturing female talents with a harmonious combination of knowledge and wisdom, and we are supporting students to lead healthy and happy lives by making mind education essential,’ said President Lee Sun-jae. Gwangju Women's University has been selected by the Ministry of Education as a specialist training institution for character education, and is making efforts to strengthen links with the local community and strive for sustainable development.
‘Submerged Bridge Tuk Tuk Tuk Tuk Festival’ with Wellness from September to October
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 27th that it will hold the ‘Submerged Bridge Tuk Tuk Tuk Tuk Festival’ every Sunday from September to October at the Banpo Han River Park Submerged Bridge and Moonlight Square. The festival will provide citizens with enriching experiences through various themed programmes, including art, play, health, and relaxation.
On 1 September, a special programme called ‘Art Together 99 Minutes/99 Minutes’ will be held, featuring art dining, an artistic presentation of seasonal dishes made by local farming communities. The programme will also feature installations and improvised performances.
On 29 September, the ‘Hangang Tango Festival’ will be held. Tango lovers from home and abroad will gather to enjoy a milonga and tango gala show, as well as a one-day tango class.
On 13 October at 3pm, ‘I Am a Fashion Model’ will be held on the runway of the submarine bridge, where participants can experience fashion modelling in two categories: ‘Han River Leisure Look’ and ‘Han River Date Look’.
The Han River Runfesta, which will be held for the first time in the first half of the year, will be held on 8 September at 1pm at the north end of the submerged bridge and Moonlight Square. It includes the Masters Running Championship and the permanent programme ‘Run Together, Han River’.
On 22 September, there will be two sessions of ‘Submarine Bridge Sunset Yoga’ and on 6 October, ‘Wellness Seoul’ will be held. The events include the Slow Turtle Marathon for dogs and the Balance Cycle Zone for children.
In addition, on 1 and 22 September, there will be a ‘Tutu Bounce’ playground for children at Dalbit Square, and ‘Silent DJing’ will be held five times on 1, 8, 22 September and 13 and 20 October.
On the closing day, 27 October, there will be a ‘Guerrilla Concert’ on the submarine bridge. ‘We hope that people will experience the charm of the Han River and enjoy various cultural experiences through this festival,’ said Joo Yong-tae, head of the Seoul Future Han River Headquarters.
WeLabs launches new product ‘Immunity & Green Formula’ using Brazilian green propolis** **WeLabs with Wellness
Derby End Corporation's health functional food brand ‘WeLabs’ recently announced on the 27th that it has launched a new product ‘Immune & Green Formula’ using Brazilian green propolis as the main ingredient. The product contains natural wellness ingredients to enhance immunity and support comprehensive health care.
Green propolis, a key ingredient in Immune & Green Formula, is harvested from the sap of the Baccharis flower in the Minas Gerais region of Brazil and contains artemisinin C and flavonoids, which have excellent antibacterial and antioxidant properties. This ingredient provides higher potency than regular propolis, the company explained.
The product uses rapeseed oil to enhance the absorption of the active ingredients and contains 500mg of cranberry as a secondary ingredient. In addition, it contains a total of 14 complex functional ingredients, including calcium, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and selenium, for comprehensive health support.
A representative from Derby End Corporation said, ‘Researcher Park Ji-hyun of the product development team recently planned a premium pet nutrition brand “Wellness Pet” in collaboration with the head of the Daejeon Food and Drug Administration.’ ‘We are committed to R&D to maintain the unrivalled quality of all our products.’
**Wellness and medical tourism: Local governments ramp up efforts to attract international patients***.
As international medical tourism has picked up steam since the COVID-19 pandemic, local governments have been actively seeking to attract foreign patients. Last year, 605,768 foreign patients travelled to South Korea, the highest number since 2009. In particular, the number of medical tourists from Japan increased dramatically, up 762 per cent year-on-year.
Daegu Jung-gu recently hosted the Japan U12 Tokyo selection team for a medical tour. The team visited the Oriental Medicine Experience Town and the Oriental Medicine Special Zone in Yakryeong-si, Daegu, and expressed interest in oriental medicine treatment. Daegu City is contributing to the promotion of medical tourism through such tours.
Daejeon City has opened the Daejeon Medical Tourism Support Centre in Tokyo, Japan, and is strengthening overseas networking and recruitment activities. Incheon also provides customised translation services and one-day healing tours through overseas briefings and networking, while Gwangju is working to attract foreign patients by securing regular air routes to China and offering rewards for attracting tourists. Busan has selected 50 key partners for medical tourism and is building a model for attraction through intensive promotion.
Medical tourism provides a comprehensive experience that combines shopping, accommodation, and sightseeing in addition to medical treatment, and the average spending per patient is 1.8 times higher than that of general tourists. The global medical tourism market is expected to grow from KRW 109 trillion in 2021 to KRW 240 trillion by 2025.
Experts are positive about local governments' efforts to attract foreign patients, emphasising the need for differentiated strategies and sustainable policies that take advantage of local characteristics. However, they also point out the need for countermeasures against the side effects of attracting foreign patients, such as illegal procedures and illegal residence.
If the government, local governments, and medical organisations work together to resolve relevant regulations and issues, Korea's medical tourism industry is expected to make a greater leap forward.