Haman, unfamiliar even to Koreans. More than 1,000 Japanese group tourists visited the festival “Nakhwa Nori” held here. It is a visit through a package composed of 32 local travel agencies in Japan. The figure more than doubled from about 450 last year. It’s not just Haman Nakhwa Nori, which is a hot place in Gyeongnam. Ten national attractions that have shone in Korean tourism have stood tall as the “star of Korean tourism” this year. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization recently held the “2025 Star of Tourism Awards” and unveiled the selected tourism dream team “Top 10.” This year marks the 15th edition of the Korea Tourism Star Awards, which began in 2010. The Korea Tourism Star, which was co-hosted by Maeil Business Newspaper with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, selects and awards tourism resources, related organizations, and workers who contributed to the development of our tourism industry throughout the year. The final list will be released after recommendations and evaluations from the people, local governments, and experts.
National level ‘Snow Road’ such as Hwangridan-gil and Soyowon
Gyeongju Hwangridan-gil was selected as this year’s tourist destination. It is a space where the past and the present coexist, and it is considered an attractive tourist destination that combines tradition and young sensibility. This year, it became a hot place around the world with a mega event called the Gyeongju Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. There are a variety of things for young founders to enjoy, including emotional cafes, fusion restaurants, and workshops with traditional hanoks and old alleyways. The unique atmosphere and stylish hanoks combined with the ancient tombs in the middle of the city make Gyeongju Hwangridan-gil attractive.
Sayowon, which was selected as a “promising tourist destination,” also boasts a formidable interior. It is Korea’s representative ‘K Garden’ created along the Palgongsan branch of Daegu Gunwi-gun. Nature, architecture, and art combine to exude a unique charm that allows you to experience the aesthetics of different landscapes and gardens throughout the four seasons. The nesting in Palgongsan Mountain, the best maple hotspot in Daegu, is also the most popular. The signature point is “The Thousand Years of Pungseolgi,” a garden with 108 quince trees over 300 years old.
Kim Yoo-jeong Railbike, selected as a barrier-free tourist destination, is a tourist destination where you can feel nature and emotion together while running along the old Gyeongchun Line railroad. It is evaluated that it has introduced a romantic car with wheelchair lifts, including a “cooperative rail bike” that is rare for a rail bike running on a railroad track, and created an inclusive tourism environment that can be used by everyone, including a barrier-free route and a braille and voice guidance system.
Biyangdo, Hallim-eup, Jeju was selected as an “eco-friendly tourist destination.” It is located 15 minutes away by boat from Hallim Port. It is a heavenly island that retains Jeju’s unique nature and culture to the extent that it is called “Small Jeju.” The rocky cliffs, grasslands, and forests are preserved in their original form, making it a well-known healing tourist destination.
Tourism contents with regional specialized stories
Haman Nakhwa Nori, Gochang Sangha Farm, Gangjin Everyone Travels Half Price, and Daejeon Dream Family Urban Marketing Revitalization Project were listed in the tourism content category. In particular, Haman Nakhwa Nori, a regional-specific content field that has been recognized for its contribution to attracting Japanese people, is a traditional fire game that has been handed down since the ancestors of the Joseon Dynasty. There is a story that almost broke its reputation due to the Korean War, but was restored through efforts such as historical examination by the residents. You can enjoy the spectacular scenery of fireworks (fall flowers) that are scattered over the surface of the pond by lighting Nakhwabong Peak made of charcoal powder wrapped in Korean paper in a pond in Mujinjin, Haman-myeon, Haman-gun.
Gochang Sangha Farm, which was selected as a regional win-win tourism model, is also a representative tourist destination in Namdo. It was created as a rural complex experience theme park and was recognized for its contribution to prioritizing the region and continuing community return activities in the entire process of corporate activities such as recruitment, production, distribution, and social contribution.
Innovative tourism policy is an award for innovative tourism policies promoted by the public, such as urban tourism branding, tourist inflow projects, and tourism promotion campaigns. Everyone in Gangjin won the award for half-price travel and Daejeon Dream Family Urban Marketing Revitalization Project.
For everyone in Gangjin, half-price travel is the first “half-price travel” in the country to support half of travel expenses in local currency. This year, it is considered a representative excellent example of regional tourism policy. By encouraging tourists to revisit, it contributed to the vitality of the local economy and the increase of the living population.
The Daejeon Dream Family Urban Marketing Revitalization Project is a case of modern reinterpretation of the forgotten Daejeon Expo mascot, “Kkumdori,” and expanding it into a family character called “Kkumdori Family.” It is evaluated that it has established a city tourism brand and effectively marketed the city in combination with tourism products.
Jeju Olle and Im Sang-chun (pen name) were selected as contributors to tourism development. Lim is the author of one of the most popular works of 2025: the drama “Fully Believed”. It is a contribution that has made a high contribution to boosting domestic travel through the visual beauty of Jeju, Gyeongbuk, and Jeonnam, which appear in the background of the drama.
The number of tourists visiting Korea this year is expected to hit an all-time high, said Kim Dae-hyun, vice minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. “I hope that the selection of a star for Korean tourism will serve as an opportunity for another qualitative leap forward.”
[Shin Ik-su Travel Reporter]
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