South Korea’s capital is jazzing up its evening offerings to give delegates a night out to remember, says Gigi Onag.
Seoul has a quest – to become one of the top five business event destinations in the world. In 2009 it was 15th in the International Congress and Convention Association world rankings for international meetings, and it aims to have moved up two places for 2010 (figures will be released in summer 2011). To reach its goal, the city has realised that delivering an “experience” is as crucial as providing venues and facilities.
Maureen O’Crowley, senior director of international marketing and conventions at Seoul Convention Bureau, says: “Meetings here tend to conform. ‘This is how it’s always been done’ is an oft-repeated mantra. Creativity is an emerging notion, which has come in from the West, but we are learning.”
O’Crowley explains that when industry association Meeting Professionals International recently organised a workshop in Seoul, the company asked participants to put together a dream programme with the assumption of an unlimited budget. The result, she says, was an eye-opener. “Once you’ve given them the freedom to do an event differently, then you really see the creativity coming out of the closet,” she says. “It exists. You just have to break out of the box and, once you do, the possibilities are limitless.”
Since its inception in 2008, the convention bureau has been on a mission to elevate the standing of South Korea’s 600-year-old capital as an attractive destination for meetings and incentives. O’Crowley points out that Seoul’s business event industry gets a significant boost from the domestic market, but the focus is now on hosting international gatherings.
“Regionally, we are doing very well,” she says. “The Asian market knows Korea and we do not have to work so hard to educate them. There is not a lot of resistance because it is not such a long trip to make. The harder sell is to ask North Americans and Europeans to take a 14-hour trip to a destination they are not quite sure of, so what we really need is to expand our long-haul markets.”
O’Crowley adds: “Economists worldwide have recognised South Korea’s growth, but sometimes it does not translate to the rest of the world. We have to change the perception.”
Seoul has many of the big hotel chains, an inventory of more than 21,000 rooms and the meeting space to host a wide range of events. It also has extra hooks to create memorable moments in itineraries – Seoul is not just an Asian economic powerhouse but also a pop-culture trendsetter in the Asia-Pacific region.
The “Korean Wave” – the increased popularity of the country’s culture around the world in the last ten years – encompasses interest in South Korean music, television dramas, food and fashion, and destination management companies have been quick to join the party, offering groups both modern and traditional cultural performances.
Korea House, a complex of Joseon Dynasty-era structures, is a preferred venue for long-haul visitors as it is a hot-spot of time-tested Korean cuisine, arts and crafts. Incentive groups can tuck into banquets fit for royalty while watching traditional folk music and dance shows.
Jessica Chun, general manager for the Americas and Europe team at DMC Hanatour International, says: “It really depends on the preference of each group. For first-timers to the city, something traditional and cultural such as the Korean fan dance or a samul nori (a musical performance with acrobatics) is the norm. For those who like more energetic displays, there are the contemporary non-verbal acts such as Nanta [a popular Korean musical that has been running for 13 years] and Jump [a comical martial arts show]. Alternatively, we can get an orchestra to play Western classical music for a group of 200 aboard a chartered boat during a one-and-a-half-hour dinner, while cruising the Han River.”
Across the capital, corporate groups can attend exclusive performances of shows outside their regular scheduled runs. For example Nanta, which is staged in several theatres across Seoul, has between three and eight private shows a month. Some are performed in theatres and others at private events.
Hweon Kyung Pak, Nanta’s marketing manager, says: “To hire the entire theatre, we require a minimum of 200 people. We have four theatres here, so it is easy for groups to enjoy the show at their convenience, any time.”
Groups booking a private performance can opt for additional perks such as pre- or post-show cocktails, a meet-and-greet with the cast, and branded souvenirs.
A more traditional musical is Miso (“beautiful smile”), which is on twice daily at the 250-seat Chongdong theatre. Miso claims to be the original Korean musical, a love story with a happy ending, and the cast can also put on exclusive performances for corporate groups.
Jay Youn Joo, chief executive officer of Nanjang Cultures, which produces percussion ensemble Samul Nori, says: “SamulNori started as a travelling troupe playing at festivals around the world. It was only recently that we had a permanent theatre at the Gwanghwamun Art Hall in Seoul. The show is designed for outdoor performances and we even have two groups – one assigned here and the other for offsite.”
Chun of Hanatour International says putting on specific shows can also make a greater emotional impact on visitors. “We had a Philippine-based group from L’Oreal and we created a cosmetic fashion show in a venue outside Seoul,” she says, adding: “We had the models in traditional costumes and make-up. It was a big success. The company came back for a second visit, and then we hired
an entire club at Itaewon for
120 people for a night-long karaoke session.”
Nights out in Seoul are always a special experience for any group, and the city is alive with options. Away from the more formal shows and dinners, there is an atmosphere that is hard to miss on an evening out.
Joe Gwi Nam Cho, deputy general manager for the inbound sales team at Hanjin Travel, says he wants future groups to experience the free-spirited nightlife of the Hongdae university district. “Here you find people in quirky attire, expressing themselves through fashion,” he says. “On the last Friday of each month, you can buy one ticket which gives you access to all the clubs in the area free of charge,” he adds.
Bear in mind that there are a couple of rules on nights such as these – you must relax, and there are no suits allowed. “This rule does not apply to foreigners, of course,” says Cho. “But to blend in, you’re advised to dress down.” And, after a couple of days of intensive meetings, letting your hair down should come easy.
Jeju Island
Jeju Island, located south-east of mainland South Korea, is an hour’s flight from Seoul. The past decade has seen it progress rapidly especially since it was designated a Special Self-Governing Province on July 1, 2006. In recent years, tourism has been a growing contributor to the economy – visitor arrivals were on track to reach seven million by the end of last year. The goal now is to broaden the market mix to include more conferences, meetings and incentives from the mainland and overseas. In October last year, Amway Korea, a global multi-level marketing company, sent 8,000 people in seven waves to visit Jeju over 28 nights.
Chundo Yang, head of marketing at Jeju Convention and Visitors Bureau, says: “We have been doing well. Five years ago I visited a lot of meetings, incentives, conferences and events trade shows to introduce Jeju Island, and many corporate buyers have held their meetings here
since then.”
The primary challenge, he says, is to add more direct flights to the island. Jeju International airport has nonstop services to several major Asian cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei, and is being expanded to accommodate growing passenger traffic. As with mainland South Korea, there are no visa requirements for visitors staying on Jeju for up to 90 days.
New infrastructure to support the destination’s ambitions is also on the drawing board. South Korean hotel chain Lotte, which already has a property in the upscale Jungmun resort complex, will be building two more, while Malaysian chain Berjaya has entered a local joint venture to build its first property in Seogwipo-si. There are now almost 23,000 guestrooms on Jeju, with 3,000 expected to be added this year. Meanwhile, International Convention Centre Jeju is eyeing a new extension that will expand its capacity of 4,500.
Keen to become a serious contender as a meetings hub, the island’s public and private sectors have got together to prop up the soft services that are required to deliver events and programmes of a high calibre. In September, a joint training workshop – the first in a series – was conducted to upgrade the skills of everyone involved in the event industry. One of the main objectives was to help these professionals to be creative.
Yang says: “Our population is a little more than half a million. The challenge is not only in attracting fresh talent to join the event industry but ensuring they get the right training.”
Formed by the eruption of an underwater volcano approximately two million years ago, the island covers 1,845 sq km. It has managed to maintain its relatively pristine nature and three UNESCO World Heritage sites despite construction in the 1960s. Jeju is a land of horses, mountains, lava tube caves and waterfalls with a clear blue ocean lapping on its beaches.
“For something unique, groups can go on a submarine tour,” says Victor Ryashentsev, director of Discover Korea Jejueco Travel. “You go underwater [in the submarine] for 40 minutes, which is much simpler than diving. And groups can have pre-cocktail drinks before they go down.”
One of the bestsellers for groups visiting Jeju is the Olle Trail – 200km of paths which criss-cross the island, leading to forests, mountains and beaches. Any one of these trails will give delegates an insight into Jeju’s wildlife and natural beauty. And you do not have to be on foot to enjoy a day out on the different routes – there are options for mountain biking and horseback-riding abound.
Young-Hoon Kim, president of Mongchee Event Tour, offers eco-based activities on the island, and has developed an adrenaline-pumping programme for adventurous groups. Called MWB (mountain, walking and biking), it challenges participants with what can be termed a “mini-triathlon.” Mongchee customises various activities, including scuba diving, paragliding, beach climbing, skiing and even backpacking to the lava stream. “We always want to deliver something exciting,” Kim says. “What’s good is that we have programmes for all seasons of the year. It takes six months to a year to develop many of our outdoor programmes, each costing an average of US$40,000 to develop.”
Jeju is packed with museums and theme parks, that can serve as interesting backdrops and venues for any event. The Jeju Museum of Art has indoor and outdoor spaces that can be hired for galas, while the one-of-a-kind Teddy Bear Museum has a spacious outdoor area and a park dotted with teddy bear statues.
The Yakchunsa Temple, one of the largest buddhist temples in Asia, offers stays for groups to experience and participate in the daily rituals of the monks. The Mawon restaurant in the Jungmun Complex has an attractive outdoor area that resembles a traditional Korean residential courtyard. Groups can try out local delicacies such as black pig and horse meat. And those who want some sea breezes can charter a boat and enjoy a meeting in the middle of the ocean or dine on Jungmun beach.
Quick tip
Citizens of some 100 countries, including the UK, can enter South Korea without a visa for up to 90 days – otherwise one must be obtained before arrival. Visit the Korea Immigration Service website immigration.go.kr
Contacts
