By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

A Japanese transgender makeup artist has been named an honorary ambassador to promote Korean tourism.

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) appointed Ikko, one of the most famous celebrities in Japan's beauty industry, as the ambassador for Korean tourism at the organization's headquarters in Seoul, Friday.

The appointment comes after recognizing the drag queen entertainer's promotion of Korean culture in Japan.

The 47-year-old makeup artist and ''actress'' has developed ''beauty charisma'' in Japan by presenting fascinating hair and makeup styles on televisions, magazines and stages and became a trendsetter among the Japanese youth in beauty management, and beauty products he recommends usually become hits within a week.

In recent years, Ikko has promoted Korean culture to Japan, particularly the beauty industry. He published a travel guidebook titled ''Make Your Beauty Up in Korea'' last May. After his introduction of Korea's major tourist destinations, food, shopping and cosmetics, the book created a Korean boom among Japanese youngsters.

After Ikko introduced a Korean cosmetic product called blemish balm, or BB cream, on a Japanese television show last year, the number of Japanese tourists seeking BB cream jumped tenfold and sold out at cosmetic shops in Myeongdong, a local shopping district many Japanese enjoy visiting. Etude, a cosmetic brand, recently made an exclusive contract with him.

''The boom in trips to Korea among the Japanese is partly thanks to the strong yen against the won, but partly due to Ikko's promotion of Korea,'' a KTO official said.

Ikko said that he came to love Korea after watching the soap opera ''Winter Sonata,'' saying he was touched by Koreans' life.

He also said that he was impressed by ''ondol,'' a Korean floor heating system. ''When I visited Korea seven years ago, I had a cold and cystitis. After arriving, I warmed myself up in an ondol room at a hotel and ate 'samgyetang' (Korean chicken and ginseng soup). I felt my entire body get warm and got well thanks to the room and the food, and became a fan of them,'' Ikko said.

As the honorary ambassador, the entertainer will appear in KTO tourism promotion video clips and on Web sites. A tourist program named ''Seoul Trip Recommended by Ikko'' will also be developed.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr