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| A scene from the episode introducing Brunei in the ASEAN-Korea Centre's 2021 ASEAN virtual familiarization tour series / Courtesy of the ASEAN-Korea Centre |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The ASEAN-Korea Centre offers online trips to four ASEAN countries ― Brunei, Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam ― to help people discover the charms and cultural resources of the region.
The program originally offered offline familiarization tours to various tourism destinations in the ASEAN region. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the center produced a series of videos promoting the tourist sites and resources of the ASEAN countries.
This year, actress So Yu-jin takes virtual trips to the four countries with members of ASEAN Youth Representatives. The first episode, released on Aug. 31, highlights Brunei's lesser-known tourist attractions to Korean tourists.
Located on the northwest coast of the island of Borneo, Brunei Darussalam is known for its rich underground resources. Among its tourist sites, the Temburong region, often dubbed as the Amazon of ASEAN, is home to the Ulu Temburong National Park, which is known for its lush rainforest and variety of wildlife, from hornbills to butterflies. Brunei is also known for a wide variety of outdoor activities, ranging from jungle hiking to scuba diving.
The second episode will feature Indonesia, including its capital of Jakarta, which is becoming well known for modern art. It is also known for Balikpapan, a city in the jungle that was announced as the new capital, and Bali, a surfer's paradise popular among Koreans as well as Indonesia's soul food, Rendang and Nasi Goreng.
The third episode, which will be available starting Sept. 8, will highlight Myanmar, a country heavily influenced by Buddhism. The Shwedagon Pagoda, also known as the golden pagoda, is situated in Yangon, while Bagan City is the largest Buddhist pilgrimage site in Myanmar. Viewers will also get a glimpse into the traditional way of life in the Inle Lake region, which is designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The final episode sheds light on Vietnam, one of the most frequently visited ASEAN countries by Korean travelers. The virtual tour will center on Vietnamese food culture, from the popular dishes of Pho, Banh mi and Banh xeo, to Hue royal cuisine, which is considered the pinnacle of Vietnamese gastronomy.
The videos are available on the ASEAN-Korea Centre's YouTube channel.
