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| Guests visiting Korea learn K-pop choreography at a dance studio in Seoul./ Courtesy of Airbnb Korea |
Cosmetics producers partner with Airbnb for foreign tourists
By Jung Hae-myoung
On Friday, a class was held to make vegan bath salts in Itaewon, Seoul. Several foreign tourists gathered around the Melixir headquarters, the office of Korea's first vegan makeup line, to make bath salts of their own under the guidance of make-up CEO, Lee Hana.
The basic ingredients are all provided by the host, and the guests can make their own body scrub by putting in sea salt, Squalane oil and finishing with scents and colors of their preference.
Lee said she decided to become a host for the Airbnb Experience because she and the company shared a similar vision.
"The customers who use our products usually want to have an authentic experience through using our products and our programs," Lee said. "Rather than remaining a one-off experience, guests can incorporate veganism into their lifestyle," she added.
This is part of Airbnb's Experiences program, where people can dedicate a few hours of their trip to experience a part of a country's culture. For Korea, more programs related to K-pop and K-beauty have been increasing over the past few years.
Rather than just watching K-pop videos or buying Korean beauty products, Airbnb Experiences provide programs that allow visitors to experience things directly. While staying in Korea, tourists can make their own music videos or their own K-pop songs in a few hours.
For "K-pop dance for beginners," visitors can learn dance choreography in two hours. The host will teach a simple routine and also teach participants how to pose like K-pop stars. During the experience, a film crew will record clips to make a short music video that participants can take back home.
The "K-pop recording" class is led by a vocal trainer who will invite guests to a studio. The guests will have one-on-one vocal training before they go into the recording booth. The participating visitors will be able to take home a copy of their recorded K-pop songs.
For others who are interested in what it is like to live as a musician in Korea, "Music story in Hongdae" would be a good experience to sign up for. The guide, who is an actual musician in "Joy Band" will take visitors on a tour around Hongdae, the center of the indie scene in Korea, and stroll around the studios, stages and famous record labels. The host will also hold a live music performance in his private studio. The guests are also allowed to play music with their own instruments.
Hong Jong-hee, the senior communication manager of Airbnb Korea, said the trending culture in travelling is focused on "experience."
"Just touring around places and taking 'Instagrammable' pictures is no longer the main interest of people. They need a deeper experience that they can cherish in the future," Hong said. "But for the guests who stay in this country for a short amount of time, they can only have an authentic experience when they meet people who actually live in that area," she added.
"For the past few years, K-wave has been one of the main keywords. Before it was a rising trend in Asian countries, but recently there has been strong recognition in mainstream culture as well, leading to more attention from the global community," Hong said.
She also noted that the most popular trips in Korea were largely those dedicated to K-pop and K-beauty.
Although programs are predominantly designed for visitors from foreign countries, young couples in Korea also take classes as well as solo travelers who want to see familiar places from a different perspective. According to the manager, one does not have to make a reservation for Airbnb accommodation to reserve the experiences.
Besides K-pop and K-beauty, one can also learn how to play the Gayageum, a traditional Korean instrument, taught by a professional musician in a music cafe. Other experiences include making china pots, hand-crafted stamps, going to the Han River for a picnic.
For a taste of what it's like to live in Korea as a college student, tourists can take the "College tour with a resident," where a graduate of the school in that area will stroll with them around the alleyways and pretty streets in Korea, and explain the history of the surrounding area.
