Popular K-pop girl group NEWJEANS has another accolade to add to their list. As the members continue to reach new heights of fame and success, they have now been awarded a plaque by Korean Tourism as honorary ambassadors.

On July 11, 2024, the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism announced the K-pop girl band as the Honorary Ambassador for Korean Tourism in 2024. They received a plaque, recognizing their contributions to the country. They were chosen for this title to target the global 2030 generation and inspire them to visit and experience Korean culture.

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#NewJeans as the new Korean Tourism Ambassadors

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The Korean tourism advertisement starring NewJeans will be released online for the first time on the Korean tourism YouTube channel. Then, starting with Times Square in New York, it will also be broadcasted on billboards in 12… pic.twitter.com/wcR6aCWVak

— NEWJEANS NEWS (@newjeansnews_) July 11, 2024

Expressing her excitement and gratitude, band member Minji said, “We are very happy to be ambassadors to promote South Korean tourism today.” She further added that it would be a great joy for the group to promote their country. On the other hand, Culture Minister Yu In-chon noted that tourism numbers have recovered to “about 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels.” With NewJeans as tourism ambassadors, he expects even more people from around the world to visit Korea.

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Last year, more than 11 million tourists visited South Korea, marking a 245 percent increase compared to 2022. Among them, 35.6 percent of global visitors to Korea were younger than 30, with 84 percent traveling independently. Notably, the top factor (32.1 percent) behind their interest in visiting the country was exposure to Korean Wave content.

The group members will serve as ambassadors without actual diplomatic responsibilities for a year, succeeding previous representatives such as “Squid Game” star and Emmy-winner Lee Jung Jae and K-pop sensation BTS.

Members of the group shared their personal recommendations for visitors, including eating “gimbap dipped in tteokbokki sauce” and taking “a photo a day,” which is an “unspoken rule among young Korean generations.” Haerin suggested that tourists visit a hanok, or traditional Korean house, while Hanni urged visitors to embrace popular Korean cuisine. She said, “You have to eat Korean food when you come to Korea, and since it’s summer and the weather is hot, if you eat food like samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) or mul-naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), you’ll be able to enjoy it a lot.”

NEWJEANS is the creation of the label ADOR and consists of five members: Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. They debuted on July 22, 2022, with the single “Attention,” which instantly became a viral hit. In January 2023, the group released their first single album, “OMG,” which garnered significant commercial success.