Hallyu, or the Korean cultural wave, has done a pretty good job of promoting South Korean travel. Millions of tourists attracted to the country’s sophisticated entertainment and pop culture, including TV dramas, movies and K-pop music, visit South Korea every year. K-pop stars, in particular, have become real examples of how information can be best communicated, encouraging more and more tourists to come.

Thousands of K-pop fans packing the KCon 2015 “All Things Hallyu” held at the Jeju Sports Center on Jeju island were proof that the Korean wave, which began to gather in mid-1999, remains the nation’s largest cultural draw.

Zainal Zahamin Baki, a Malaysian radio DJ and TV host, praised the Jeju provincial administration for holding the KCon 2015, saying that he was very excited at the chance to attend the concert again. “This is the second time for me to visit Jeju to cover K-Con […],” he said in a media event entitled “Dreaming Together of a Better Jeju”held on the island on Nov 6.

Popular K-Pop artists and groups such as Shin Seung-hun, Shinhwa, Block B, SG Wannabe, Teentop, Chen Zi Tong, Roy Kim, Spica, Kangnam, Poten, and Oh My Girl, appeared at the concert.

Bright and colourful: Shining with a myriad of colors, KCon 2015 featured dynamic music performances attended by thousands of K-Pop fans packing the Jeju Sports Center. (thejakartapost.com/Elly Burhaini Faizal)

Lit in a rainbow of colors, the KCon 2015 had the energy and the dynamics to keep K-pop fans entertained from beginning to end. Some cried, overcome with emotion, at the crowded Jeju Sports Center where their idols were performing. Some of the ecstatic fans even became hysterical as they caught a glimpse of their heroes; an insight into the power and popularity of hallyu, which is mainly led by K-pop and TV dramas especially popular among other Asian countries.

Widely acclaimed as one of best tourist destinationsin the world, Jeju is the best place to learn about K-Pop, a movement offering massive business potential for corporations as well as South Korean tourism.

Play K Pop is one place where tourists can learn about the history of the Korean wave. “If you want to know about the Korean wave, such as TV shows, movies and especially K-Pop music, you should visit Play K Pop,” said Kim Je-Yang, a local tour guide also known as Jennifer who accompanied Indonesian journalists invited by the Korea Tourism Organization to visit Jeju from Nov. 5 to 9.

Hello hallyu: Play K Pop is home to a wealth of information on the Korean cultural wave. (thejakartapost.com/EllyBurhaini Faizal)

In the museum, the timelines and milestones of the history of K-Pop - from the dawn of Korean album history in 1907, through the emergence of hallyu in 2000 and the birth of K-Pop in 2010 - are presented in the form of diagrams placed around the exhibition galleries.

Born in 1920, Korean pop music has played a crucial part in the lives of the Korean people. In 1930, for instance, Korean pop music comforted the Korean people amid the sorrow and suffering of the Japanese occupation. After its decline following the Korean War in 1950, South Korean pop music entered a revival era in 1960, during which time it coexisted with other musical genres.

The era of South Korean youth culture emerged in 1970, followed by the renaissance of South Korean pop music in 1980. It was in 1990 that the genre, led by a new generation, entered its golden age.

“We have many [Korean] singers and movie stars. Maybe it is interesting for visitors to learn about them all. Play K-Pop is the best place in Jeju Island to learn about hallyu,” Jennifer said.

Korean wave: A collection of LPs and compact audio cassettes featuring the music of South Korean singers and other memorabilia from the Korean music industry enriches Play K Pop. (thejakartapost.com/Elly Burhaini Faizal)

In Play K Pop, a live holo concert, presenting K-pop singers and groups, is the main attraction, using 3D technology and high-quality sound to make visitors feel like they’re actually at a real K-pop concert.

The rapid tide of new K-pop singers, rich with musical innovations, have kept the overseas fever for South Korean pop culture burning, generating ever-more income from concerts and merchandise for the country’s economy.

Power of culture: Play K Pop showcases a collection of signature costumes worn by K-Pop artists during concerts, making it one of most attractive tourist destinations in Jeju. (thejakartapost.com/Elly Burhaini Faizal)

The location of the “bench kiss” scene between wealthy and charming mogul Kim Ju-won (played by Hyun Bin) and poor stuntwoman Gil Ra-im (played by Ha Ji-won) in Cinderella-like love story Secret Garden is now a favorite place for tourists captivated with the TV drama.

Located at the Seaes Hotel & Resort, Jeju, the bench where Ju-won and Ra-im kissed for the first time draws a high number of tourist visits every year. Secret Garden is one of the most popular South Korean dramas, alongside Boys Over Flowers, Princess Hours and I’m Sorry, I Love You, filmed in Jeju.

Hallyu, or the Korean cultural wave, has done a pretty good job of promoting South Korean travel. Millions of tourists attracted to the country'€™s sophisticated entertainment and pop culture, including TV dramas, movies and K-pop music, visit South Korea every year. K-pop stars, in particular, have become real examples of how information can be best communicated, encouraging more and more tourists to come.

Thousands of K-pop fans packing the KCon 2015 '€œAll Things Hallyu'€ held at the Jeju Sports Center on Jeju island were proof that the Korean wave, which began to gather in mid-1999, remains the nation'€™s largest cultural draw.

Zainal Zahamin Baki, a Malaysian radio DJ and TV host, praised the Jeju provincial administration for holding the KCon 2015, saying that he was very excited at the chance to attend the concert again. '€œThis is the second time for me to visit Jeju to cover K-Con ['€¦],'€ he said in a media event entitled '€œDreaming Together of a Better Jeju'€held on the island on Nov 6.

Popular K-Pop artists and groups such as Shin Seung-hun, Shinhwa, Block B, SG Wannabe, Teentop, Chen Zi Tong, Roy Kim, Spica, Kangnam, Poten, and Oh My Girl, appeared at the concert.