At any time when large-scale worldwide occasions such because the Olympics or the World Cup are held, the world’s consideration naturally turns to the host nation. In depth media protection typically sheds gentle on the individuals, tradition and way of life of that nation. The identical was true this time. Final week, the southeastern metropolis of Gyeongju efficiently hosted the 2025 Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation (APEC) summit, drawing international consideration.
Situated in North Gyeongsang Province, Gyeongju was as soon as the capital of the traditional Silla Dynasty. Town, recognized for its well-preserved relics, art work and quite a few historic websites, exudes a quiet dignity and is usually referred to as a “dwelling museum,” because it holds the splendor of Korea’s previous.
Through the APEC occasions, Gyeongju’s wealthy and various cultural heritage captivated buyers and dignitaries from world wide. This was clear proof that the recognition of Korean tradition didn’t occur in a single day. Some guests, maybe unknowingly, turned ambassadors of Korean tradition themselves.
White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, for instance, posted on Instagram about Korean skincare merchandise she purchased from a neighborhood store within the metropolis, starting from sheet masks to serums, and captioned the publish “South Korean skincare finds” with a coronary heart emoji. The publish shortly went viral as Korean media retailers ran a narrative about her social media publish.
Equally, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang drew consideration when he was noticed having fun with chimaek (hen and beer) in southern Seoul with Samsung Electronics Govt Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Govt Chair Chung Euisun — a scene that naturally showcased the on a regular basis pleasure of Korean tradition.
Via this APEC summit, Okay-culture as soon as once more turned a world subject by way of a collection of occasions. Specifically, Korean conventional arts — typically much less acknowledged internationally in comparison with fashionable cultural exports similar to Okay-pop, dramas and movies — gained newfound consideration.
Kim Dong-won, former Gyeongju APEC promotion technique committee chair, emphasised in a current interview with The Korea Occasions that “the profitable expertise of the Gyeongju APEC summit might function a possibility to hyperlink tourism and cultural industries and create new jobs throughout varied sectors of the Korean economic system.”
“Enterprise leaders from world wide who attended the APEC CEO Summit had been deeply impressed by the great thing about Korean artwork and cultural heritage,” he stated. “Korean high-quality arts, particularly conventional portray, stay undervalued. We should enhance the public sale and distribution programs to correctly acknowledge their worth and place them as a central pillar within the international artwork business.”
Kim additionally proposed changing idle regional areas into synthetic intelligence (AI)-powered efficiency halls or exhibition venues for extra environment friendly use. “AI-based performances and exhibitions can entice extra vacationers and revitalize native economies,” he stated.
“There isn’t any doubt that Okay-culture has already grow to be a worldwide phenomenon. Many international enterprise leaders stated they had been already aware of Korean artists and recurrently watched Korean dramas and movies.”
To increase international curiosity in Korean tradition into tourism, Kim urged an modern idea. “If we might replicate profitable Okay-pop artists as AI digital people and stage digital performances throughout a number of venues, we might generate a whole lot and even hundreds of occasions extra added worth. Subsequently, we should always develop new efficiency areas in cities designed for AI digital concert events.”
He emphasised that revitalizing regional idle areas for next-generation cultural experiences would assist energize the tourism and inventive business.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, heart, Samsung Electronics Govt Chairman Lee Jae-yong, proper, and Hyundai Motor Group Govt Chair Chung Euisun are seen at an occasion in COEX, southern Seoul, Oct. 30. Yonhap
The 2025 APEC conferences served as a world networking hub, welcoming 16 heads of state and main enterprise figures from member economies. Amongst them had been Nvidia’s Huang, Google APAC Chief Advertising Officer Simon Kahn, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, Johnson & Johnson Chairman Joaquin Duato and JPMorgan Chase Vice Chairman Daniel Pinto.
“Those that visited Gyeongju are a number of the most influential figures on this planet,” Kim stated. “They’ve affect over tens of tens of millions — typically a whole lot of tens of millions — of individuals and may change how they suppose and devour. That’s why lively participation from personal sector leaders is essential to spreading Korea’s picture and tradition worldwide.”
He additionally highlighted tourism and promoting as Korea’s subsequent financial progress drivers, noting that these industries are drawing robust consideration from worldwide buyers.
“Korean promoting professionals and cultural business specialists ought to actively pursue collaboration alternatives with international firms,” he stated. “As seen within the international success of Okay-pop, dramas and movies, Korea already possesses a deep pool of inventive expertise and the potential to take a number one position within the international promoting market.
“Many producers have efficiently transitioned into promoting, and a few are already acknowledged as world-class professionals,” he continued. “Korea nonetheless has an enormous pool of inventive expertise able to producing high-quality promoting content material.”
Main U.S. big-tech firms every function with totally different advertising and marketing budgets. Nvidia spends lower than $100 million yearly, focusing totally on digital platforms. Meta’s annual advertising and marketing funds ranges between $2 billion and $2.65 billion, with roughly $2.06 billion spent in 2024. Microsoft invested round $1.7 billion in advertising and marketing final yr.
As compared, Korea’s promoting business is comparatively smaller, estimated at about $13.8 billion this yr, with digital promoting accounting for over 60 p.c of the market.
Kim famous that securing worldwide enterprise alternatives shouldn’t be one thing a home promoting company with out international expertise can simply obtain.
“Even when Korean firms acknowledge abroad alternatives, discovering potential companions is extraordinarily tough. Most native advertising and marketing companies lack the community and know-how to strategy international companions,” he defined.
“The success of the APEC promotional video clearly demonstrated Korea’s promoting and content material capabilities to international tech firms. This achievement is anticipated to result in expanded promoting contracts with main worldwide tech companies sooner or later.”
Choreographers carry out in the course of the official welcome dinner for the 2025 Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation Financial Leaders’ Assembly at Lahan Choose resort in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Oct. 31. Yonhap
