HI STORY Gyeongsangbuk-do - Yecheon’s Samgang Inn is back, and it’s more hip than ever! - Gyeongsangbuk-do to offer immersive experiential tourism products using its infrastructure inspired by three different local cultures within the Yecheon Samgang Cultural Complex - - Newtro Pub to host fusion genre performances and food pairing programs every Saturday for the next eight weeks -
Gyeongsangbuk-do is planning to open the “Samgang Inn Newtro (New+Retro) Pub” every Saturday over an eight-week period from June 12 to July 31 at the Yecheon Samgang Cultural Complex, which is widely known as a melting pot of three different local cultures. The Yecheon Samgang Cultural Complex, which marks the endpoint of the 275km-long “Nakdonggang River 700ri Gil,” is home to the last traditional inn in Korea. With this new Newtro Pub, visitors can experience a unique blend of retro and hip* culture at the Yecheon Samgang Cultural Complex. * Means fresh up to date with the latest fashion trends, while having a unique personality and sensibility
This immersive experiential tourism product was proposed and by Xcrew, a global activity platform leader, in a public contest conducted in April as part of the “HI STORY Gyeongsangbuk-do” initiative aimed at revitalizing the infrastructure supporting Gyeongsangbuk-do’s three major local cultures. The new and refreshing take on Samgang Inn will give visitors, from the MZ generation to the baby boomer generation, reinterpreting the inn, a great chance to immerse themselves in a unique and authentic local experience.
The Samgang Inn Newtro Pub program will host fusion Korean traditional music performances combining various genres of music (from Korean traditional music and “trot” music to K-pop music, and offer food pairings perfect for the Makgeolli served at Samgang Inn. The tourism program will also include a “Mission Trip” product. Tickets for “HI STORY Gyeongsangbuk-do” are available online via Xcrew’s own platform (https://xcrew.kr) and other official OTAs (https://kr.trip.com, https://wemakeprice.com) at a discounted price. Walk-in visitors can buy their tickets at full fare on-site upon arrival at the Yecheon Samgang Cultural Complex.
▷ The fusion traditional music performance - available twice a day (14:00, 17:00) - will be held at Samgang Inn’s courtyard, and will be open to anyone visiting the Samgang Cultural Complex. The performance will start with a Gugak version of BTS’s Dynamite performance and end with the “Boat Song.” From young and fresh songs to Gugak-inspired instruments and vocals, the fusion traditional music performance is expected to liven up the atmosphere and put the audience in a great mood.
▷ When you think of a traditional inn, what is the first food that comes to your mind? Star chef Chae Nak-yeong (widely known from the TV show “Rosy Cheeks and a Good Time”), who is a Gyeongsangbuk-do native, has been developing some new dishes, a few inspired by Samgang Inn’s current offerings and others completely new, since early-May in collaboration with Samgang Inn’s management. Together, Chae and Samgang Inn came up with four dishes for the HI Story Gyeongsangbuk-do program (bibim pasta, cowboy fried shiitake, standard black bossam, and the Jumo taster) based on the concept of “the flavors of Yecheon by a star TV chef.” Chae’s is expected to pair well with Samgang Inn’s Makgeolli and give visitors an unforgettable experience at the Samgang Cultural Complex, which they simply cannot get inside the city.
In particular, the new dishes were created using local agricultural products and simple recipes. All steps and instructions for each dish, including service know-how to satisfy customers, will be passed onto the staff at Samgang Inn, meaning the Inn can continue serving these new dishes after the Hi Story Gyeongsangbuk-do program. Ultimately, this is expected to attract more tourists and improve local household income levels.
▷ The Mission Trip (titled “Finding the Treasures of Samgang Inn”) will be offered exclusively to customers ordering the food pairing dishes at Samgang Inn. Patrons who choose to go on the Mission Trip can take part in a game-like journey exploring the geographical features near Samgang Inn, the Riverine Cultural Exhibition, Samgang Naru Camping Site, and the Peddler Culture Experiential Village. They can carry out little missions and collect stamps placed across the Samgang Cultural Complex. Also, Gyeongsangbuk-do plans to offer exciting new programs, including a “Lucky Draw” raffle event with Chae for patrons who have successfully completed the Mission Trip.
For its immersive experiential tourism product, Gyeongsangbuk-do plans to enforce a COVID-19 quarantine and safety plan to ease any concerns regarding health and safety. Health officials will sanitize Samgang Inn twice a day, check the temperature of each visitor, ask visitors to check-in with their unique QR codes, and wear a safety bracelet upon entry. In doing so, the Provincial Government hopes to promote Gyeongsangbuk-do as a safe place to visit with clean and relaxing local tourism options to enjoy.
Meanwhile, the tourism companies selected for the four venues to revitalize the infrastructure for the three local cultures in Gyeongsangbuk-do are: Hanboknam (Gimcheon Samyeong Daesa Park), Alt&M (Andong Seonseonghyeon Cultural Complex), City Circus (Mungyeong Eco Rala), XCrew (Yecheon Samgang Cultural Complex). Gyeongsangbuk-do plans to develop specialized content it can offer in a sustainable manner in all four of its selected venues by communicating with these companies and using them to understand the unique characteristics of the region. Through this project, Gyeongsangbuk-do hopes to boost the competitiveness of its four venues selected to promote the three local cultures of Gyeongsangbuk-do in collaboration with the tourism industry and local communities.
Kim Sang-cheol, Director of Gyeongsangbuk-do’s Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau, said, “This immersive experiential tourism product is aimed at supporting the private sector as it looks to revitalize local businesses and promote the three local cultures in Gyeongsangbuk-do. Matching the ideas from local tourism infrastructure facilities and top tourism service providers can help companies expand their business into the stagnating local tourism industry, create more job opportunities for local communities, and reap economic benefits by boosting income levels. Overall, we hope this program can set an exemplary model for win-win tourism in the local area.”
