Joseph Hwang
The apprenticeship system in the K-pop industry in South Korea is a unique program that fosters those who want to be an idol of a K-pop band. While the number of applicants for the auditions hosted by K-pop artist management companies is increasing, the number of foreign trainees is also growing gradually. Since the applicant has passed the audition and has become an apprentice, their visa status was often faced on the wall for staying in South Korea. This problem was also a burden to the entertainment companies.
In this context, the Korean government and the Ministry of Economy and Finance held the Meeting of Ministers of Economic Relations with Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister. The Minister of Economy and Finance prepared a plan to respond to this issue (not only the problem of the apprentices but also all agendas to boost Korean tourism for foreigners). The measures were announced to the public on June 18, 2024.
The problem that the Korean government recognized in its foreign tourism policy is that incoming visitors are not staying in the country for a short time. In particular, every few months, the trainees of the K-pop idol groups had to leave and re-enter the country. To address this issue, the South Korean government announced that it would create a separate new visa program for apprentices, which will start later this year.
The so-called “K-culture Training Visa” will be issued on a pilot basis to aspiring K-pop idol groups as the solution.
The entire tourism policy of South Korea has been considered because tourism’s recovery tendency has been going back to the state before the pandemic, up to almost 90% even in the post-pandemic, while tourism revenues are gradually going down.
The Korean government felt the cause of the phenomenon, such as (i) turning group tourism into individuals and (ii) visitors’ motivations to enter South Korea, which have been changed to wanting to experience and feel the K-culture based on. It shows that visitors’ consumption of South Korea is decreasing, so it is necessary to extend visitors’ stay.
In particular, many visitors want to experience K-culture, such as K-pop, filming locations, and memorials of K-dramas. This fact is likely related to all aspects of the K-pop industry, including the production system and its relevance to the distribution markets. The solution to these issues is to prepare and operate the domestic entertainment industry’s ecological infrastructure with connecting networks.
I will continuously follow up on and pursue this issue regarding the “K-culture Training Visa” and post updates on this blog.
* References and quotations:
https://popdiaries.com/k-pop/south-korea-to-introduce-visa-program-specifically-for-kpop-trainees-4766176
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2024/06/602_376796.html
Measures to Promote Foreign Visits to Korea to Increase Tourism Revenue, Meeting of Ministers of Economic Relations No. 24-11-3 (public), June 17, 2024, as below:
https://www.moef.go.kr/nw/nes/detailNesDtaView.do?searchBbsId1=MOSFBBS_000000000028&searchNttId1=MOSF_000000000069344&menuNo=4010100
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