The city of Busan is moving to channel the surge of domestic and international tourists drawn by BTS concerts into consumers of the region's craft industry. The strategy aims to link demand from large-scale performances and tourism with the local cultural industry, promoting content unique to Busan and expanding sales channels for local artisans.
Busan announced Thursday that it will hold a special exhibition and sale of Busan craft products in conjunction with the "Busan Pop-Up Store," which will be held for two days starting Dec. 12 at the Busan Station Plaza. The initiative aims to connect tourism spending to local industry by showcasing crafts that embody Busan's distinct culture and identity to visitors coming to the city for BTS-related events and various tourism programs.
The Busan Metropolitan City Crafts Cooperative will participate in the event, exhibiting and selling a range of crafts representing the city. The lineup will include souvenirs reflecting Busan's urban image, as well as products combining tradition with a modern sensibility, such as hand fans featuring Hangeul (the Korean alphabet) patterns and accessories made from hanji (traditional Korean paper).
The city is focusing on cultivating crafts as new content for Busan tourism rather than simply selling souvenirs. The goal is to allow tourists to experience the region's culture and sensibility through products and take them home as memories.
A special sales exhibition will also be held at the Busan Crafts Permanent Exhibition and Sales Hall inside BEXCO. Targeting tourists staying in Busan before and after concerts, the event will showcase crafts made by local artisans and highlight the competitiveness of Busan's craft industry. The strategy is to attract young consumers and foreign tourists by displaying practical and refined products that can be used in everyday life, moving away from the perception that traditional crafts are difficult and unfamiliar.
Busan said it will continue to actively link large-scale performances, international events and tourism content with the local cultural industry to develop regional crafts into flagship tourism products. "We will expand support so that crafts can establish themselves as content embodying Busan's cultural value, beyond mere tourist souvenirs," said Kim Bong-cheol, head of the city's Digital Economy Office.
