Musicians in traditional dress perform as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (not pictured) on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, October 29, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
GYEONGJU (South Korea): As Gyeongju puts the final touches to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) this Friday (Oct 31), the host country is brilliantly using its K-pop culture to promote its uniqueness and appeal.
This effort is highlighted through G-Dragon, the popular BigBang hip-hop group leader, and the phenomenal global success of the KPop Demon Hunters.
G-Dragon or Kwon Ji-Yong, also known as the "King of K-pop”, is famously known for his insane talents as a singer, songwriter, music producer and fashion icon, and has garnered fans around the world.
Funnily enough, it even sparked rumours that the biggest K-pop hip-hop star and rapper would give a free concert in conjunction with the Oct 31-Nov 1 summit.
However, G-Dragon, who is also the Apec honorary ambassador, will be one of the guests at the Apec Summit Dinner on Oct 31.
G-Dragon has already played his part through the Apec promotional video, which also features South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in a cameo role, that has been shown on various broadcast and online channels.
Apart from that, pastries, snacks and ice-cream with packaging featuring Rumi, Zoey, Mira, Saja Boys and Derpy the Tiger - all popular characters from the animated movie KPop Demon Hunters - were among the items served at the International Media Centre (IMC) in the Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Centre (HICO) and at booths around the the area where the summit is going to be held.
Interestingly, Gyeongju, which is in a coastal area, is also a favourite shooting location for drama and films, especially historical drama series like The Great Queen Seondok and Mr Sunshine, as well as modern television series like Princess Hours and Beauty Inside, which showcase the area's beauty as well as historic and cinematic landscape.
Gyeongju, the fifth-largest city in South Korea, is nicknamed the "Museum Without Walls" and is home to numerous historical sites, some of which have been designated as Unesco World Heritage Sites for their historic significance rooted in the city's past as the capital of the Silla Kingdom, which ruled a unified Korean Peninsula for nearly a thousand years.
Physiotherapist Park Hyun, 26, said the selection of Gyeongju as the venue for this year's Apec is a good opportunity to promote the city.
"I have come here a few times for leisure, and this is the first time I've come here for work. There has been a lot of development. I am glad that Gyeongju has been chosen this time as a lot of foreign tourists are only aware of Jeju but not Gyeongju," said Park Hyun, who hails from Seoul.
As for students like Jung Seohyun and Kweon Gain, who are studying at Dongduk Women's University and majoring in MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), this is a good opportunity for them to gain experience, especially in organising large-scale events like Apec.
This year marks 20 years since the Republic last hosted the AELM in Busan in 2005.
Apec represents 21 member economies that collectively account for nearly 60 per cent of the global gross domestic product and 47 per cent of world trade.- Bernama
