Chen Bolin and Korean star Ku Hye-sun lend star power to Taipei’s Korea travel expo, drawing in “gold”

Tourism Center / Taipei Report

To attract more Korean travelers to Taipei for independent trips, the Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism participated in the 2013 Korea International Travel Fair and held a pre-event press conference in Seoul on May 29. In collaboration with airlines, travel agencies, and renowned tourist attractions, the department launched special independent travel packages for Korean visitors, offering up to 40% off on 2–4 day Taipei travel itineraries, plus a special “Fan & Star Chase Tour” that gives fans a chance to meet Chen Bolin in person in August.

At the pre-event press conference held at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, the Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism specially invited Korean actress Ku Hye-sun—who rose to fame across Asia through the Korean version of Meteor Garden—to demonstrate how to make the city’s most iconic souvenir, pineapple cake, alongside Deputy Director-General Chiu Peng-hsin. The freshly baked aroma of the pineapple filling and the crispy outer crust had the attending VIPs praising it as the deservedly best souvenir.

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Ku Hye-sun also shared that she had stayed in Taipei for a while while filming and had taken time to explore local temples and unique cultural and creative shops, mentioning being particularly impressed by the architectural artistry of Longshan Temple and the devout worshippers there. She also revealed that before returning to Korea, she specifically bought some handmade accessories to give to her friends back home, which were very well received. When asked what else left a deep impression on her about Taipei, Ku Hye-sun fondly recalled xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and bubble tea—items the crew would prepare daily at the filming site or enjoy together after wrap by heading out for xiaolongbao.

Taipei City Government Department of Information and Tourism Director Zhao Xin-ping said that the press conference in Korea also had the added star power of “Big Yuan” (Chen Bolin), who recorded a video message welcoming Korean friends to visit Taipei. Given Chen Bolin’s high popularity in Korea, the Department has included a special 3-day, 2-night “Fan & Star Chase Tour” in its independent travel package promotion. Participants have the chance to win a limited edition “FUN TAIPEI BOX” signed by Chen Bolin, as well as attend his fan meet-up in Taipei on August 26. These perks are only available during the Korea Travel Fair and are limited to 30 participants.

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According to statistics, in 2012 (101 in Taiwan’s fiscal year), the number of Korean visitors to Taiwan totaled 259,089, marking an increase of 6.66% from previous years. Comparing airport arrival data, the number of Korean arrivals at Taoyuan Airport remained level between 2011 and 2012, while arrivals at Songshan Airport increased by 18,121. This shows that the majority of the increase in Korean visitors in 2012 was due to the launch of the Songshan–Gimpo route on April 30, with most arriving via Songshan Airport. This clearly demonstrates that the opening of the Songshan–Gimpo route has indeed promoted tourism exchange between Taiwan and Korea.