By no means you will miss the pavilion with its eye-catching spinning cubes. Let alone the long queue outside the pavilion. It's not as long as Germany's nor as challenging as Japan's (with the smart queue in place at the moment), but the queue takes at least a minimum of 45 minutes. If not, longer. But the question now and then is, is the Korea Pavilion in Expo 2020 worth the queue?
As the expo comes to an end (I am catching up on blog posts about it), here am I with a page only for Korea. And not only because I like South Korea and I'm biased, but l might not give justice if I squeeze this post into my main Expo post (still under process).
Anyhow, let's dive into what's inside the pavilion of a tech-powerhouse nation!
Korea Pavilion Highlights:
Mobile-Guided AR Tour
As a nation that gave birth to LG and Samsung, it would be wrong to expect anything, not technology-related inside their pavilion. And I wasn't disappointed when I heard (when Expo opened) that Korea's Pavilion is about a mobile-guided tour with AR. And while a lot of visitors say it's 'boring', I find delight upon getting my hands on the mobile assigned to me.
The mobile user experience involves creating a profile, taking photos, and even sending the photos taken during the tour straight to your e-mail!
While you navigate the pavilion from inside out and onto the Skywalk Ramp, the mobile will be in action! You will get notified by the mobile on where you currently are and what you can expect to see in front of you.
Don't forget to notice the kinetic installations too - at the ceiling of Madang and one inside before a ramp.
And as you move along, the AR (Augmented Reality) comes to life from the not-so-typical-looking QR codes. In the photo above, the QR code looks like symbols and drawings representing South Korea. The QR codes are easy to miss especially when you are too absorbed with the view, and I can't blame you!
Vertical Cinema
After all the ups and downs from the Skywalk ramp, the next highlight is the Vertical Cinema. Lie down on one of the Fatboy bean bags and enjoy a short clip highlighting Korea's culture, entertainment, and lifestyle from the vertical screen.
There are a lot of screens around the Expo (horizontal, curved, and 360-degree), but a vertical one is only in Korea Pavilion. It's unusual and a little uncomfortable (for me with back and neck problems) but not bad. It clearly shows how Korea takes risks when it comes to the advancement of technology, by being unique (so far).
Tourism Board Section & Resources
At the end of the mobile guided tour, the tourism board corner sits below the Korean restaurant. There is a corner to write your name in Hangul (Korean writing system) on a postcard with assistance from Koreans. As well as a souvenir shop where you can buy skin care products, trinkets, and even small appliances.
There is also a stand for magazine and guide books for public viewing, which I enjoyed and skimmed as much as I can.
And to my surprise, I came across this page and was so ecstatic! Because: (1) it's about hiking (you know my hiking appetite), (2) and it's Jirisan Trail! I've heard about Jirisan from the Korean TV Series of the same name starring Ju Ji-Hoon and Jun Ji-Hyun and promised myself that I'll hike through it. This is a sign for me to hike Jirisan!
Madang
An icing on top of the cake, live performances are held hourly in the 'Madang' - an open space inside the pavilion. You can access Madang without the need to queue or you can do so after your tour. It's not BTS performing, but it's nice to watch a modern-mixed-cultural performance where you can sit comfortably.
And (South) Korea is not Korea without being updated from their own trend. In the Madang area, I was able to try the famous Dalgona Candy game. The Dalgona Candy game is from the renowned Korean TV Series of 2021, the Squid Game. And if you haven't watch Squid Game, maybe it's time for you to watch it!
While you don't die when you break the candy (which is a good thing), it surely adds fun to the whole experience!
There is one more missing to fully enjoy the Korea Pavilion in Expo 2020 - the Korean Restaurant. I have enough catching up to do as I haven't tried the restaurant. However, when I get the chance, I'll update this post right away.
And there you go, that's about the Korea Pavilion! Have you been inside already or not yet? Let me know in the comments section below!
