K-wave AI News

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea.

Here's our top story.

Gangneung City in Gangwon-do Province was bustling with visitors over the weekend, drawn to its popular cherry blossom spots.

Gyeongpodae Pavilion and Gyeongpoho Lake were filled with tourists exploring the 'Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival'—one of the city's signature spring events known for its stunning floral scenery.

Although official performances and celebratory events were canceled in light of recent large-scale wildfires, the festival drew large crowds eager to embrace the spring atmosphere.

The festival runs through April 9, with diverse programs like a 'hanbok outing' and a flea market also in store.

To further boost tourism, Gangneung City has released a map of the cherry blossom hotspots, featuring not only well-known locations but also hidden points throughout the region.

Gimhae City in Gyeongsangnam-do Province will kick off its largest annual event, the '2025 Gaya Culture Festival,' this Thursday.

It will be held at the UNESCO-listed Daeseong-dong Tombs and the surrounding Sulleungwon area.

Festival highlights include "Gaya Fantasia," a dynamic fusion performance that blends traditional Korean music with modern vocals, belly dancing, hanbok showcases, and more.

A media façade installation will illuminate the historic tomb complex at night, vividly bringing to life the rich legends of the ancient Gaya Kingdom through cutting-edge technology.

Gimhae City has canceled fireworks displays out of respect for recent wildfire victims.

Korea's southern port city of Busan welcomed a record 30,165 foreign medical tourists last year, the highest level to date.

The figure marks a 134% increase from 2023 and is the third highest nationwide, following Seoul and Gyeonggi-do Province.

According to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, the majority of medical tourists to Busan came from Japan, Taiwan, and China. Notably, the number of Taiwanese visitors soared by a whopping 1,840% on-year.

That's all from me. Keep it tuned to the Kulture Wave.