K-pop group NewJeans named tourism ambassadors

Global appeal: NewJeans members (from left) Hanni, Haerin, Danielle and Minji posing for photos during the appointment ceremony of the 2024 Korea Tourism Honorary Ambassador in Seoul. — AFP

The nation appointed K-pop girl band NewJeans “honorary ambassadors” as part of a drive to promote tourism, joining a long list of Korean celebrities to take up the role.

South Korea has seen tourism figures recover to nearly pre-pandemic levels this year, with around a third of visitors citing K-pop or K-drama – the so-called “Hallyu” or Korean wave – as a major motive for travelling to the East Asian country.