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…
In South Chungcheong Province, the city of Gongju, known as the nation's chestnut capital, has sparked a new travel tradition. Tourists visiting Gongju Sanseong Market are now buying chestnut souvenir shirts to wear while exploring the area. The shirt showcases a chubby chestnut character on the front, symbolizing the local identity and referencing the viral online meme "bamti," which refers to an unappealing appearance.
Since launching in May, the shirt has gained widespread popularity, selling over 1,000 units daily on weekends. So many visitors are donning the shirt that locals often inquire about where to purchase it, prompting them to visit Gongju Sanseong Market themselves.
Lee Tae-hee, head of Jeil Yutong and the designer of the apparel, explained that customers enjoy wearing the shirt, which has also benefited other market vendors by increasing foot traffic. The introduction of these quirky souvenir shirts is diversifying domestic travel beyond traditional food tours. By playingfully celebrating local culture, these shirts are injecting new life into domestic travel, attracting more tourists to explore various regions in Korea.
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.
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