What comes to mind when you consider planning a conference, meeting or congress? Could it be Korea?
Korea exists in harmony with traditional and modern times, continuing to develop creatively and dynamically.
This is what comes to mind for many Korea fans around the world.
The Korean MICE Office wants meeting planners to go beyond the mere imagination of this perfect event destination. The Office has crafted a perfect 3-day meeting plan template.
According to a Union of International Associations (UIA) analysis in 2020, Korea ranked fourth in the number of international conferences held. It ranked 2nd as the most popular meeting destination in Asia.
What convenience and charms does Korea offer as a MICE destination that attracts MICE visitors from all over the world?
Korea is a place of harmony where modern architecture and traditional hanok coexist © Hwang Seon-young, Korea Tourism Organization.
Start imagining your virtual MICE tour in Korea:
Before leaving the house
A convenient and smooth entry process into Korea begins even before you leave your country:
Imagine you are traveling to Korea tomorrow and speaking at an international conference. Before your visit, you have already received the itinerary for your stay in Korea. You know your transportation information, how to get to the event venue from the airport, and your accommodation information have all been provided by the Korea PCO Association.
This hands-on process relieves you as a participant. You can travel without worrying about making your trip details work.
Personal quarantine information such as vaccination status can be entered at cov19ent.kdca.go.kr before entering the Republic of Korea. This will further speed up the entry process.
Your perfect first day in Korea:
Do business in comfort
On your first day in Korea, you arrive in Daejeon to speak at an international conference. Daejeon is located about an hour’s drive from the capital Seoul.
As its nickname “Science MICE City” suggests, the city has successfully hosted various international science-related events. This included the OECD Daejeon 2015 Ministerial Meeting and the Global Science and Technology Forum.
Your conference is held at Daejeon Convention Center, where a “COVID-19 free zone” is set up to prevent the spread of the disease and ensure the safety of participants. Additionally, the interior and surrounding environment have been recreated in the Metaverse for visitors to participate in realistic online experience programs and even communicate in real time.
Daejeon Convention Center, COEX in Seoul, KINTEX in Gyeonggi-doand the Kimdaejung Convention Center in Gwangju have a personalized state-of-the-art virtual convention infrastructure. They feature local host city characteristics to enable the dynamic and successful organization of virtual and hybrid MICE events.
The number of participants who can enter the space is limited within a given time frame. Attendee information is managed using a QR code, in accordance with Korea’s COVID-19 prevention measures.
After delivering your conference speech, you may wish to return to your business hotel to rest. Business travelers to Korea can choose the accommodation that best suits their preferences and needs.
Those looking for convenient transport to visit the city can stay in a perfect downtown hotel with great accessibility, while those looking for a unique accommodation experience can opt for hanok guesthouse to experience the korean traditional housing culture.
Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul, Jeonju Hanok Village and Gongju Hanok Village are the best hanok villages in Korea.
Your perfect second day in Korea:
Team building programs for all tastes
On the second day you take part in a special team building program prepared by the host.
The first is an active program offering a taste of Korean martial arts Taekwondo, as well as archery. Both are popular sports in which Korea has won Olympic gold medals for years. They are perfect for any sports fan looking for a short one to two hour program. Programs can be experienced in the middle of town and indoors, making them very accessible.
Next comes a stay in the temple, where you can recover in the middle of your busy schedule. You can experience Korean Buddhist culture, a mainstay since ancient times.
A longer program spans two days, while a short program lasts two to three hours. This is a popular team building program for international visitors as you can experience temple culture including balwoo gongyang.
Balwoo refers to the rice bowl of Buddhist monks, and gongyang, which means meal, refers to the ceremony where Buddha is honored and offerings are made. Thus, the balwoo gongyang formalizes gratitude for a meal and is a courtesy to be observed when Buddhist monks eat at the temple.
Experience a Buddhist service and tea ceremony, in addition to finding inner peace through meditation. A Buddhist service refers to praying to Buddha in the temple with a respectful mind.
Your second day in Korea comes to an end after an exciting day filled with various team building programs.
Your perfect third day in Korea:
Korea: Experience history, nature and ICT – all at once
You are free to explore Korea on your own, but here are some ideas. Visit all the places you wanted to visit.
A must visit for many visitors is the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The DMZ is a stark reminder that Korea remains the only divided country in the world. This makes Korea a top destination in the “dark tourism” category.
You can examine the traces that are still also a reality of the Korean War. See North Korea from the Unification Observatory. The DMZ is also famous for its “intact” natural environment offering a “DMZ Peace Road” themed walking trail. It allows you to walk along beautiful beaches and wetlands.
Your next stop may be “The Age of Light (Gwanghwa Sidae)”, as an authentic content experience program. Here stands the “Gwanghwa Tree (Gwanghwa Su)”, a tree pillar sculpture with big data visualized via Augmented Reality (AR), and the “Gwanghwa Tramcar (Gwanghwa Jeonchai)”, a 4D transportation experience.
A K-pop star provides information to the AI Information Center powered by machine learning technology.
Play “Gwanghwamun Dam” AR game to experience an adventure in Gwanghwamun area and complete the missions.
You will be amazed by Korea’s advanced information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure by enjoying historical content provided by AR. Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that allows you to superimpose digital content (images, sounds, text) on a real environment.
Your perfect 3-day Korea trip is now complete.
From great team building events and programs to personal tours.
The Korean MICE virtual tour has ended.
Korea has successfully hosted international events amid the COVID-19 pandemic, quickly transitioning to hybrid events that incorporate online elements.
Local Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) with expertise in Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) programs play a major role in carrying out these tasks.
With extensive experience in conducting large-scale international events, Korean PCOs provide solutions aligned with ever-changing MICE trends.
the Korean MICE office provides assistance in PCO and venue selection, as well as program scheduling to organize a comfortable and unique MICE event.
KMB can also organize site inspection visits for key decision makers and supports various marketing activities.
Financial support may be available depending on the size and scope of the event, including accommodations and souvenirs.
The world is gradually easing pandemic regulations one by one so that we can meet again in person. In the meantime, virtually visit Korea to catch up on missed opportunities and plan your future trips to Korea in advance.
