'Gotgam Dessert and Aengganghyang Tea' Selected as This Year's Representative Tourism Products

Korea Tourism Organization Selects 25 Souvenirs
'Gamseonok Set' Wins Presidential Award in Local Specialization Category
Award Ceremony at November Korea Tourism Souvenir Expo

This year, the K-dessert "Gamseonok Original Set," made by blending dried persimmons from Sancheong, Gyeongnam, with local specialties, was selected as South Korea's representative tourism souvenir.

Gam Seon-ok Original Set [Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced 25 award-winning works in the '2024 Korea Tourism Contest (Souvenir Category)' on the 27th.

The Presidential Award went to the newly established local specialty category's "Gamseonok Original Set." It was highly praised as a premium dessert that combines native Sancheong dried persimmons with local specialties, balancing taste and marketability.

The Prime Minister's Award was given to solid tea products such as "Tteokcha: Aengganghyangcha," which modernly recreates herbal tea used as a staple medicine since the Goryeo Dynasty by blending it with agricultural products from Namhae.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award was given to products such as the "Korean Traditional Culture Five Senses Satisfaction Kit," a soban and chair set featuring Korean traditional architecture like Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the "Najeon Colored Tumbler," which applies intricate natural mother-of-pearl to practical daily products. The Korea Tourism Organization President's Award included items like the "Korean Beauty Dancheong Mechanical Keyboard Keycaps," which reinterpret Korea's unique dancheong patterns in a modern way.

Najeon Colored Tumbler [Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

The newly established Hyundai Department Store Special Award this year was given to the Korean-style pear wine "Ije: Made with Pear," made from Naju pears, and the "Seoul Souvenir Tin Case Sticker Pack," which depicts various scenes and daily life in Seoul.

A total of 580 general and local specialty products were submitted for this contest held from May 8 to 31. The awards included 1 Presidential Award, 2 Prime Minister's Awards, 3 Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Awards, 4 Korea Tourism Organization President's Awards, 2 Hyundai Department Store Special Awards, and 4 Sponsor Institution Head Awards, totaling 25 selected works.

Kim Dong-il, Head of the Tourism Industry Division at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, "Through one-on-one expert consulting, collaboration matching with private companies, and entry into distribution channels including Hyundai Department Store, we will strive to help these award-winning works grow into world-class K-goods."

The Korea Tourism Organization plans to hold the "2024 Korea Tourism Souvenir Expo" at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul on November 22?23, where the tourism contest award ceremony will take place. Past award-winning works will also be exhibited and sold.

To promote the award-winning works, the Korea Tourism Organization purchases them in amounts equivalent to the prize money and utilizes them for souvenir exhibitions and domestic and international events.

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