'K Content' Colors Paris... Choi Tae-won on Crutches Says "Korea is Overwhelming"

Yoon at Reception: "Will Contribute to International Prosperity"
Choi Tae-won Appears Leaning on Crutches: "Korea Overwhelmed"
Psy to President Yoon: "You Do Better, Mr. President"

On the evening of the 21st (local time), the official reception for the Busan World Expo held at the Issy-les-Moulineaux Sports Center near Paris, France, was an exhibition showcasing the full spectrum of 'K-Content.' At the entrance of the reception hall, a media art piece symbolizing the maritime city of Busan, titled 'Starry Beach,' was installed, and a model exhibition of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) allowing a virtual reality (VR) experience of the Busan Expo was also held.

President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the reception with First Lady Kim Keon-hee, appealing for final support to the delegations of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) member countries. The official reception is an event held only once per candidate country before the vote to decide the host country for the 2030 Expo, inviting all BIE member country delegations. The government and private sectors jointly prepared the event to promote South Korea's determination to host the World Expo and to showcase the charm of Busan. The competing countries, Saudi Arabia and Italy, held their receptions on the afternoon of the 19th and the previous day, respectively. The Korean reception was attended by over 400 people, including BIE member country delegations and diplomats stationed in Paris, and was considered a success.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon and the First Lady circulated the reception hall, personally engaging with BIE member country delegations to once again convey Korea's strong determination to host and the promise to realize the vision. President Yoon emphasized to the member countries, "Through business creation by private companies, we will expand the global market and continue the Expo journey in Busan, creating greater economic and social value," adding, "The new technologies and ideas born in Busan will contribute to sustainable development for humanity and the prosperity of the international community."

Along with business leaders such as Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, a total of eight group chairmen and about 20 executive committee members of the Expo bid support private committee, as well as members of the National Assembly's Expo special committee, actively engaged in negotiations at the reception.

Chey Tae-won, who serves as the chairman of the 2030 Busan Expo bid support private committee, arrived at the event relying on crutches due to a leg injury and said, "Korea overwhelmed in both content and form." He added, "There may be a relationship between the presentation and the voting results, but winning the presentation does not mean winning the vote," and reportedly said, "This is just the beginning." Chairman Chung said, "Although we started six months later, the presentation went well, and I have a feeling that people will like Busan more than anywhere else," adding, "Our country is unique, distinctive, and well-prepared, so I thought a little more effort would be enough."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Singer Psy, who appeared as a presenter alongside President Yoon the previous day, also attended the reception. A moment of Psy and Chairman Lee Jae-yong embracing each other was captured. When President Yoon told Psy, "You did very well in yesterday's presentation," Psy responded, "You did better, Mr. President."

At the official reception that day, fusion Korean dishes such as zucchini tart, crab meat glutinous rice risotto, and bulgogi sandwiches were prepared by a Michelin 2-star Korean dining establishment, accompanied by traditional beverages including Makgeolli, plum wine, and soju cocktails. The world’s number one b-boy team, Jinjo Crew, delivered a dynamic performance to the melody of traditional Korean music, eliciting enthusiastic responses from the delegations. The event concluded with a gala performance by top domestic musical actors Kim Junsu and Cha Ji-yeon.

Each delegation attending the reception received commemorative gifts including a ‘commemorative stamp packet’ featuring global stars and 2030 Busan World Expo ambassadors BTS, a ‘cosmetics set’ from a leading domestic company representing K-Beauty, and a ‘BUSAN IS READY keyring’ designed and produced with the participation of First Lady Kim Keon-hee.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.