Ride the "Kim Soo-hyun Plane" — Jeju Air Launches Taipei–Busan Flights on April 9

▲Jeju Air will launch the Taipei (Taoyuan)–Busan route on April 9 (Photo / FromJeju Airofficial fan page)

Reported by Chen Tzu-yin / Taipei

Another airline joins the Taiwan–South Korea route market ! Korean low-cost carrier "Jeju Air" will launch its Taipei (Taoyuan)–Busan route on April 9, offering Taiwanese travelers a new option for visiting South Korea — and the chance to fly on a plane painted with images of Kim Soo-hyun.

According to Sanshang Travel, Jeju Air’s Taiwan general agent, strong interest in Taiwan–South Korea routes has been driven by the popularity of Korean dramas and K-pop, leading to high demand. As a result, the airline is opening the Taipei (Taoyuan)–Busan route, with daily round-trip flights.The one-way flight takes about 2.5 hours. Flights from Taiwan depart at 3:45 a.m. and arrive at Busan Gimhae Airport at 7:05 a.m. Korea time. Return flights leave Gimhae at 9:55 p.m. Korea time and arrive in Taoyuan at 10:55 p.m. Taiwan time.

Sanshang Travel emphasized that unlike other low-cost carriers, Jeju Air includes a free checked baggage allowance of 15 kg and a carry-on bag of 7 kg in its ticket price. The airline also provides complimentary water or juice on board, along with optional paid services such as seat selection in advance and extra-legroom seats purchased at the airport.

Each year, Jeju Air invites different Korean celebrities to be brand ambassadors and features aircraft painted with their images on various routes. In 2015, the ambassador was “Professor Kim” Kim Soo-hyun, and Jeju Air painted two planes with his image. Taiwanese passengers may have the opportunity to fly on a Kim Soo-hyun-painted aircraft, though schedules and routes are subject to flight operations. To celebrate the launch of its Taiwan–Busan route in April, Jeju Air is offering introductory fares starting from TWD 1,200, which is expected to spark another wave of travel to South Korea.