From chestnuts to oysters, quirky souvenir shirts become must-haves for Korea travelers
For visitors heading to Gongju, a city in South Chungcheong Province known as the country's chestnut capital, a new travel tradition has taken hold — buying a chestnut souvenir shirt at Gongju Sanseong Market and wearing it immediately while exploring the area. The shirt features a plump chestnut character printed across the front. It captures the local identity and is a playful nod to the word…
A new travel trend has emerged in South Chungcheong Province, centered around the city of Gongju, renowned for its chestnut production. Tourists visiting Gongju are now purchasing and donning chestnut-themed souvenir shirts at the local market, Gongju Sanseong Market, while exploring the area. The shirts showcase a plump chestnut character on the front, serving as a lighthearted representation of the local identity and a reference to the online meme "bamti," which pokes fun at an unflattering appearance.
The design, introduced in May, quickly gained popularity on social media, reaching viral status within a month. Its success has been remarkable, with over 1,000 shirts being sold each weekend. The widespread wearing of these shirts has led to locals frequently inquiring about where to purchase them, prompting them to visit the market themselves. This phenomenon has provided a boost to the market, drawing more visitors and benefiting other vendors.
The concept of regional souvenir shirts that playfully highlight local culture is proving to be a valuable addition to domestic travel. These shirts are contributing to a diversification of travel experiences beyond traditional food tours, offering tourists a unique way to engage with and remember their visits to different regions of the country.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
