Jongno and Myeong-dong Recreated 12,000 Kilometers Away in South Africa

Seoul streets such as Jongno and Myeong-dong have been recreated in Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa.

The South Korean Embassy in South Africa and the Korean Cultural Center hosted the Korean cultural festival "K-Culture Town" in the Rivonia area of Johannesburg for two days starting from July 31.

The parking lot in front of Cocoro, a Korean mart in the area, was transformed into the streets of Seoul seen in dramas, including Myeong-dong, Jongno, and Hongdae. Over the course of two days, some 2,000 local citizens visited to experience Korean food, cosmetics, convenience stores, and karaoke rooms.

Visitors tasted Han River ramen in a space decorated like Yeinaru Station, tried on hanbok at Gyeongbokgung Station, and experienced traditional Korean culture such as traditional crafts.

On the central stage of the venue, King Sejong Institute students performed traditional Korean and K-pop cover performances, followed by a demonstration of Korean-style makeup by a makeup artist from South Korea.

The distance between Seoul and Johannesburg is about 12,000 kilometers, with no direct flights taking at least 16 hours or more.

As of 2024, the number of South Africans visiting South Korea annually stands at around 16,000.

However, South Africa is no exception to the global Hallyu (Korean Wave) craze.

According to data from the Korea International Trade Association, South Africa's imports of South Korean cosmetics surged 85.7% year-on-year to $9.05 million (approx. 12.9 billion won) last year, while imports of South Korean food increased 40.3% to $17.09 million.

The craze for K-pop and K-dramas is translating into popularity for K-beauty and K-food.

"While interest in South Korea is spreading rapidly in South Africa, opportunities to experience South Korea firsthand remain limited," said Cultural Center Director Yu Ji-yeol. "We planned this event to lay the foundation for sustained interest in South Korea by allowing locals to experience the streets, daily life, shopping, and tourism of Seoul right here."

The Cultural Center plans to continue holding such events in other South African cities like Cape Town and neighboring countries like Lesotho, while cooperating with local Hallyu communities, private companies, and related organizations to connect culture, tourism, and industry.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.