Karina, Winter and Riize become Seoul tourism ambassadors — Korea Herald

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization have appointed Karina and Winter of the K-pop group Aespa, as well as the boy band Riize, as honorary tourism ambassadors of South Korea’s capital for 2026. The artists have become the faces of the city’s new international tourism campaign, Absolutely in Seoul, Korea Herald reports.

A campaign about Seoul Syndrome

The campaign launched with a teaser video whose plot is built around the concept of Seoul Syndrome — the desire to return to the city after visiting it. The video begins with an imitation news report about cases of this “syndrome” in various countries around the world.

Next, characters from the traditional Korean ink painting genre sinseondo, which depicts Taoist immortals, find themselves in modern Seoul. Karina, Winter and Riize play modern immortals who use supernatural powers in different locations across the city.

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Nine videos and events for tourists

The video series will showcase gastronomy, the beauty sector, night tourism and Korean culture. Among the fantasy episodes are food that becomes more irresistible with every bite, ordinary situations turning into scenes from Korean dramas, and the blurring of the boundary between day and night.

In total, Visit Seoul plans to release nine videos on YouTube and social media. Online events will also be held, including the collection of viewers’ comments about their Seoul Syndrome experience.

Offline events will begin in Seoul in mid-October. Visitors who complete tasks at one of five tourist information centers or at two Seoul My Soul Shop stores will receive campaign souvenirs, including posters and photo cards of the artists. Starting in October, the videos are also planned to be shown on outdoor screens in major cities, including Times Square in New York, as well as on CNN broadcasts in approximately 133 countries.