South Korea’s capital Seoul is bustling with a huge group of Chinese tourists, reaching almost 10,000 people, on their company-sponsored incentive trip as a reward for great performance. On Friday evening, about 4,000 Chinese visitors enjoyed samgyetang, Korea’s signature herbal chicken soup, party after sightseeing and shopping in and out of Seoul.

Nearly 10,000 employees of Joymain Science & Technology, healthcare unit of China-based Zhongmai Group are visiting Korea in two batches early this month as a perk for excellent work. The first batch of 4,000 Chinese visitors had feast on Korea’s favorite dish and drinks, at one of the river side parks in southern Seoul on Friday evening prepared by Seoul city government, food ministry, and Korea Tourism Organization. At the dinner, 4,000 samgyetangs, 8,000 cans of beers, 1,800 bottles of Korea’s favorite liquor soju, a huge volume of Korea’s staple vegetable dish kimchi, and ginseng products were served to delight the Chinese guests. Also, on elephantine party ground, as big as three soccer fields, 400 tables were set to welcome the guests with each table attended by Chinese-speaking assistants ready to provide service.

After the grand dining event, a show by celebrities and artists from Korea’s hit television drama “Descendants of the Sun,” which also gained huge popularity in China, was thrown as well as a concert by popular Korean singers to entertain the Chinese visitors.

Earlier on Friday, the Chinese tourists from Joymain Science & Technology shopped around at Seoul’s hot shopping district Dongdaemun and duty free outlet at Lotte World Mall. Lotte Duty Free expects Chinese tourists, visitors from the Chinese health care company as well as others on Chinese holiday, to spend about 3.3 million won ($2,856) per person on average, and the total shopping volume would reach 26 billion won, producing economic effect of about 50 billion won in total.

After a day filled with grand dinner, entertainment, and shopping, China’s Zhongmai Group incentive trip tourists returned to 16 hotels across Seoul.

Next Monday, the second batch of about 4,000 Zhongmai Group employees will be arriving in Seoul to enjoy the super-sized samgyetang party accompanied by folk games, local food tasting events, and shows. The second group also will be visiting major tourist attractions around Seoul such as old palaces, Panmunjeom truce village, and amusement park as well as making visits to some companies.

The Chinese healthcare firm Joymain Science & Technology has run massive incentive trip programs for its best employees and members every year since 2010. And this month’s incentive trip to Korea is the second visit since 2013 when its 1,800 people made a cruise trip to Seoul and Jeju, the southern island of Korea known for scenic nature.

By Cho Sung-ho

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