The shark 'Bukan-i' that arrived at Busan's North Port did not set a goal for attracting visitors. People came to see the shark, take photos, and share its movements. According to the Busan Facilities Corporation, the cumulative number of visitors to the North Port waterfront park exceeded 1 million from September 19 to October 5. Bukan-i created a compelling reason for people to visit North Port.
The Yeosu World Island Expo must address a similar question. While it has set a goal of attracting 3 million visitors, how thoroughly has it prepared to give people a reason to travel to Yeosu? Visitors are not just numbers written in a proposal; they are guests who invest their time and money for a day.
When the international event was approved, the project budget was 24.8 billion won, but the direct costs have now risen to 71.3 billion won. However, the opening was marred by poor exhibition content and food controversies. At the sub-venue, Geumo Island, conflicts with the taxi industry led to the suspension of free shuttle buses just four days after the opening. An event aimed at discussing the future of islands could not even resolve the issue of transporting guests within the island. One must question how much of the increased budget was allocated to improving the visitor experience.
Of course, one cannot simply rank the number of visitors to an expo that mixes free and paid admission. The appearance of the shark was also coincidental. Yeosu saw about 210,000 visitors over the three-day National Foundation Day holiday, bringing the cumulative total to 710,000 as of October 5. While there has been a rebound, it still falls short of a quarter of the target with half the schedule completed. There is still time to recover before the event concludes on November 4. However, recovering attendance does not absolve the organizers of their responsibility for inadequate preparations.
Recent improvements have been bolstered by large-scale performances. On October 4, a concert featuring popular trot singers attracted around 130,000 attendees. If those who came to see the singers also became curious about Geumo Island and booked their next trip, then the concert served its purpose. Conversely, if only the names of the performers remain after the show, it would be difficult to consider that a success for the island expo. The goal is to ensure that visitors remember the unique islands they encountered in Yeosu, rather than just the performances they could see elsewhere. This connection is what the organizing committee is tasked with designing.
What we can learn from Bukan-i is the power of stories that people want to see and share. In North Port, the shark's movements became such a story. Yeosu has its own landscapes, the lives of its residents, marine ecology, and cuisine. The ingredients are not lacking. The unique charm of each island must be revealed through experiences shared by residents and direct encounters with the local environment. It is more important to show something that can only be experienced there than to simply label it as 'world-class.'
The organizing committee needs to enhance experiential facilities and revamp the exhibitions for the latter half of the event. However, it is essential to consider whether these post-opening improvements are merely filling gaps that should have been addressed from the start. The time and disappointment of the visitors who came earlier cannot be returned. In the remaining period, interest generated from performances and exhibitions must be linked to visits to Geodo and Geumo Island through transportation, reservations, and guidance. The success of the event should be measured by the income of local residents and merchants, as well as visitor satisfaction and likelihood of return.
The National Assembly has already requested the basis for the 3 million visitor target and the details of the increased budget expenditures. Goals should not be set high and budgets inflated only to conclude with an evaluation based solely on the final attendance numbers. It is crucial to clarify how the increased funding changed the visitor experience and who is responsible for the initial lack of basic preparations. This will help ensure that future events do not present merely a rebranded proposal.
Bukan-i will eventually return to the sea, and the expo will come to an end. What must remain is a reason for visitors to return to Yeosu's islands. If the expo fills its quota of 3 million but fails to leave that legacy, then the only success will be in the visitor count, not the expo itself.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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