The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has signed a three-year MoU with South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM to promote Hong Kong as a travel destination through Korean dramas and variety TV shows.
This marks the first-of-its-kind partnership between an NTO and CJ ENM, which will see locations in Hong Kong featured in a variety of shows made by CJ ENM from 2022 until 2024. CJ ENM’s original content is currently available across more than 200 countries.
When travel restrictions ease, Hong Kong scenes will be filmed as backdrops for a range of drama and variety programmes made by CJ ENM, which is behind popular K-dramas and variety shows like Crash Landing On You, Goblin: The Lonely and Great God, Hospital Playlist, and New Journey to the West.
Under the tie-up, the two partners will work closely to create synergy, including providing advice on locations and the aspects of Hong Kong culture to be featured in each programme.
HKTB chairman YK Pang witnessed the virtual signing of the MoU between HKTB executive director Dane Cheng and CJ ENM Entertainment Division executive vice president for ad sales and partnerships Lee Sang Moo.
Pang said that the partnership “will help reinforce Hong Kong’s status as one of the world’s most exciting and interesting destinations when international travel resumes”.
He added: “We anticipate competition for tourists will be intense once the pandemic is over, and the HKTB is therefore getting a head start to secure influential media partners for maintaining Hong Kong’s visibility.”
