South Korea is introducing a new visa type called the Hallyu visa or the K-culture training visa, which will allow foreigners to stay in the country for up to two years. The catch? You will have to register at local performing arts academies.
This visa has been a year in the making as part of South Korea's strategy to open the influence of its cultural economy to the world as outlined in its business plan. After all, a study by the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism revealed that K-pop is the leading reason tourists visit the country. The Hallyu visa responds to this growing global interest by providing enthusiasts the opportunity to experience Korean culture in person.
Nothing else has been disclosed, but specific criteria for the Hallyu visa is expected to be released by the second half of 2024.
For now, what we know is that applicants will have to enroll in an art, dance, or music school to be eligible for the Hallyu visa. The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also specified that the school must be a government-accredited institution.
Prior to this offering, applicants would have to get the tourist visa (maximum stay of 90 days), the student visa (must be enrolled in a university), the working holiday visa (must have part-time work), or the culture and entertainment visa (must have a contract with an entertainment agency). None of the current options work for those who want to make that first step.
Enter the Hallyu visa. It hopes to simplify the process for people who want to engage with the Korean entertainment industry through relevant educational programs.
“The Justice Ministry has been pushing for the Hallyu visa programme on the back of soaring demand for education on Korea’s cultural content, to add further momentum to the Korean Wave and support the pandemic-hit local culture and music industry,” a government official told The Korea Herald in 2022.
In the same vein, South Korea will also be launching a digital nomad visa where foreigners will be able to work and travel at the same time. These new visa categories are part of South Korea's broader efforts to revive its tourism sector, following setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This story originally appeared on Spot.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Preview.ph editors.
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