Seeking to emulate K-pop stardom in South Korea? A fresh visa catalyzes the process.
The "K-Culture Training Visa" will be accessible to international individuals wishing to learn K-pop dancing, choreography, and modeling, as announced by the finance ministry on Monday.
At present, candidates do not have to pass an audition or secure a callback offer from a talent agency (although this may change later in the year, with more details to be revealed).
The rise in worldwide fascination with all things Korean has led numerous foreign fans to travel to South Korea, with some even taking up the language, and some making extensive trips (often referred to as pilgrimages) to tour the locations where K-pop music videos and K-dramas are filmed.
Seoul endeavors to leverage its cultural popularity as a tourist attraction for people globally, potentially relaxing travel restrictions for visitors from Southeast Asia. In 2020, travelers from countries like Thailand and the Philippines made up over 20% of the total visitors to South Korea, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), despite sometimes complex visa requirements.
The growth of South Korean cultural exports, also known as the Hallyu Wave or K-wave, has exploded in the last decade, with powerhouse groups like BTS and Blackpink topping international music charts and Korean drama series attracting a broader audience on streaming platforms.
K-pop is the most common reason for visiting the country, according to the MCST, with significant interest coming from overseas fans in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the USA.
Korean celebrities have been prominently featured in travel advertisements, with Emmy-winning "Squid Game" actor Lee Jung-jae appointed as the honorary tourism ambassador for the country. Korean Air collaborated with boy band SuperM for their in-flight safety video in 2019.
Although the mix of nationalities among visitors is becoming more diverse, tourism has yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels, according to the finance ministry. In 2021, around 11 million people visited the country, a slight increase from the year before but significantly lower than the over 17.5 million tourists who visited in 2019, according to government data.
Tourism revenue also continued to be lower, generating $15.1 billion in 2023, which is 25% less than the $20 billion seen in 2019. The ministry attributed the slow recovery to changes in consumer spending from shopping to cultural experiences.
South Korea has also made it easier for Digital Nomads to stay and work in the country, introducing its "workation" visa at the beginning of this year. The government is considering expanding the scheme to allow remote workers to engage in tourism while working in the country.
While the latest announcements mark a significant step towards opening up South Korea to international workers, some experts predict these visas might eventually increase the workforce and help alleviate the demographic crisis in a country that has the lowest fertility rate globally.
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Interestingly, the rise in K-pop fame has led many fans to travel to South Korea, eager to explore the filming locations of their favorite music videos and dramas. Moreover, the advent of the "K-Culture Training Visa" opens up opportunities for individuals worldwide to learn K-pop dancing and modeling in South Korea.
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