Gyeongsangnam-do plans to officially commercialize the 'K-Entrepreneur Tourism Route' this year, highlighting the legacies of the founders of Samsung, LG, and Hyosung, who drove South Korea's economic growth. By the end of the year, the province aims to finalize a joint brand, establish a pilot route, and unveil an archive dedicated to these founders.
The initiative will expand beyond visits to the founders' birthplaces and tourist sites, offering a tourism and education program that allows young entrepreneurs and business leaders to experience the founders' spirit of challenge and entrepreneurship firsthand. The program will particularly focus on a 'Motivation Tour' targeting young entrepreneurs and mid-sized business executives.
According to the Gyeongnam Tourism Foundation, the K-Entrepreneur Tour is designed to connect the three regions of Jinju, Uiryeong, and Hamann into a cohesive narrative that allows participants to experience the founders' resilient spirit on-site. The project will have a budget of approximately 1.43 billion won this year.
Lee Yeo-kyung, an official at the Gyeongnam Tourism Foundation, stated, "The initial target audience is young people in South Korea who aspire to start their own businesses, as well as mid-sized business executives. Our ultimate goal is to attract international inbound tourists, but this year we will focus on raising domestic awareness."
By mid-September, the foundation plans to finalize the design of the joint brand, including the slogan and corporate logo. A detailed budget breakdown reveals that 150 million won will be allocated to create a comprehensive website for the four major founders, with a target launch in mid-November.
This website will include virtual reality (VR) content that allows users to view the interiors of the founders' homes without visiting in person. Additionally, 340 million won will be invested in establishing the K-Entrepreneurship Center and a pop-up tourism center in Uiryeong, while 100 million won will be dedicated to developing digital interactive content, such as a QR code-based treasure hunt.
The tourism route development project is already underway. According to foundation officials, a dedicated travel agency has launched the K-Entrepreneur Tourism Route product, which will undergo pilot operations this year to further refine the content. A trail running event titled 'Running with K-Entrepreneurs' is also scheduled to take place in Uiryeong in October or November.
The opening of the founders' homes, a key aspect of the tourism route, varies by company. The birthplace of Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul (Hoam) in Jinju and the birthplace of Hyosung founder Cho Hong-je (Manwoo) in Hamann are fully open to visitors. However, discussions regarding the opening of LG founder Koo In-hwoi's (Yeonam) birthplace in Uiryeong have not yet been finalized for this year. The foundation indicated that until the opening is confirmed, alternative routes will include visits to nearby villages and monuments.
Moreover, the legend associated with Uiryeong's Sotbawi, which states that "great wealth is born within a 20-ri radius," will be utilized as a key marketing element for tourism. The province plans to highlight this through geomantic verification and incorporate it into entertainment elements linked to influencer fan tours.
The K-Entrepreneur Tourism Route is a long-term project set to continue until 2030. This year marks the beginning of the pilot route's establishment, with plans to continuously connect regional tourism resources.
However, challenges remain. The three local governments of Jinju, Uiryeong, and Hamann are striving to showcase their respective tourism resources, making stakeholder coordination a significant hurdle. Reports indicate that considerable effort was required to resolve differences during the selection process for this year's trail running event location.
Specific quantitative goals for measuring success have yet to be established. The foundation noted that targets for attracting tourists and the economic impact on the region require further discussions with Gyeongsangnam-do.
With over 1.4 billion won allocated to the project, there are calls for urgent establishment of data-driven goals to enhance transparency and accountability in the initiative.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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