Donghae field trip trilogy: Part 1 nears 2.3 million views
Curiosity builds over the activity that reportedly made a scouting writer cry
RESCENE, the resilient idol group behind one of the biggest chart turnarounds in recent memory, has launched a "love attack" on Donghae, Gangwon Province.
RESCENE members have previously visited leader Won-yi's hometown of Geoje, Gyeongju — the hometown of Jena, nicknamed the "Silla princess" — and Minami's hometown of Chiba, Japan. This time, they made a rather sudden trip to Donghae. Starting at Mangsang Beach and the Mangsang hanok and auto-camping resort, they explored every corner of the city, from Mukho to sweeping views of the East Sea at Dojaebigol. They also tried a luge and sky glider experience at Mureung Byeolyucheonji.
The first episode of the three-part YouTube series "Donghae Field Trip," which captures the trip, has drawn nationwide attention, nearing 2.3 million views just three days after its release. Known in the south for its ties to Geoje, RESCENE has now also earned a reputation as an idol group of the East Sea.
"We are grateful to and proud of the RESCENE members for visiting Donghae's tourist attractions and enjoying various experiences themselves, which let us convey the city's charm in a more vivid and approachable way," said Lee Jin-hwa, head of Donghae's tourism division. "We will continue to pursue tourism marketing that makes young travelers want to visit Donghae in person, through YouTube, social media and other media content."
The content was produced as a travel-variety-style YouTube series built around a "field trip" concept. In it, the members visit Donghae's major tourist attractions and hands-on facilities to complete missions, play games and take part in various experiences.
The RESCENE members took in the Mukho area, which has recently drawn attention as an atmospheric travel spot. They enjoyed sweeping views of the East Sea from the Haerang Observatory at Dojaebigol, then kept the trip's mood going by staying at the Mangsang auto-camping resort.
At Mureung Byeolyucheonji, Donghae's signature hands-on attraction, the members tried off-road luge and a sky glider against a backdrop of scenic nature. This showcased the kind of dynamic tourism content that can only be experienced in Donghae.
In the first episode, the members are shown intensely curious about an activity that reportedly made the program's writer cry during a location-scouting visit. Leader Won-yi said she would try it, but Reve — known as the group's top comedian despite her outstanding dancing skills — backed out. "I should be taking photos of the members," she said.
What the activity actually is has not yet been revealed, but it is believed to be the sky glider at Mureung Byeolyucheonji. The ride is said to have been the first of its kind in Asia when it was introduced.
For the filming, the city of Donghae actively supported RESCENE and the production crew. It helped coordinate access to tourist sites and hands-on facilities and arranged filming locations so the group could smoothly capture the city's various charms.
The video departs from conventional attraction-focused promotion, instead naturally showing a popular artist traveling and experiencing Donghae firsthand. The approach is expected to make the city's tourist attractions feel more familiar to the MZ generation and K-pop fans at home and abroad.
RESCENE previously drew considerable attention with its "Geoje Yeehaw" content, which naturally introduced the region's name and tourism appeal. Donghae hopes its "Donghae Field Trip" series will likewise boost tourism promotion for the city.
abc@heraldcorp.com
