At 6 p.m. on the 9th at the outdoor stage of the Sono Delphino Resort in Goseong, Gangwon Province. As the MC introduced him and trot singer Jang Min-ho took the stage, cheers erupted from seats across the venue. Middle-aged and older audience members wearing mint and white windbreakers, the signature colors of Jang Min-ho's fan club, stood and sang along when his signature song "Let the music ring out!" filled the air, waving handkerchiefs reading "Min-ho special forces" left and right in time with the beat.
Singer Roy Kim, who took the stage before Jang Min-ho, also set the tone for the show with songs that matched the warm spring weather. The crowd sang in unison during his signature "Bom Bom Bom" set. As many parents and children came together for the Parents' Day holiday, the venue exuded the feel of a family travel destination, different from a typical concert hall.
The show that day was arranged as part of "Concert Pack," a HereoTtae offering that combines travel and performances. Concert Pack is a travel product that provides selected customers, chosen by separate lottery, with a special concert viewing opportunity along with lodging. Rather than stopping at simply booking accommodations, it features small-scale performances and local experiences available only in specific destinations.
HereoTtae began with the Jeju Seopjikoji edition in 2022 and has held one or two Concert Packs every spring and fall each year. It has since expanded its stage to major domestic destinations such as Gyeongju, Pyeongchang, Sokcho, Buyeo, Daejeon, and Wonju, as well as Osaka, Japan. Each edition is planned by combining the most attractive destination, accommodations, and artists for that season.
The Goseong edition, the ninth Concert Pack, put front and center a "filial piety trip" concept designed for parents and children to enjoy together during the Parents' Day season. To that end, the organizers booked Jang Min-ho, who has a fandom in their 50s and 60s, and Roy Kim, who is familiar to those in their 20s and 30s. Broadcaster Kim Young-hee, active with the "Malja grandma" character, served as special MC and ran a family counseling segment.
Concert Pack Goseong recruited participants by lottery for a total of 350 people, and about 10,000 applied. Customers pay an application expense of 1,000 won and submit why they want to join Concert Pack, and HereoTtae selects the winners. The application expense is refunded after the winners are announced. The company said it set a minimal participation threshold to select customers with real travel intent rather than simply boosting the number of applicants.
A female audience member selected for an outstanding story at the concert said, "As soon as I heard I won Concert Pack, I postponed my scheduled surgery for a torn ankle ligament," and added, "I lined up early to come with my mom, who is a Jang Min-ho fan, and I also entered today's show first in line."
HereoTtae's Concert Pack focuses on corporate branding rather than short-term revenue generation. As more sponsors join with each edition, the burden of operating expense is being minimized. The product price is also set at a level that does not pass the break-even point. The price for this Concert Pack Goseong is 499,000 won, including a two-night accommodation voucher, breakfast benefits, and discounts on various amenities.
Kim Yong-kyung, HereoTtae's brand head, said, "In an environment where ad avoidance is expanding, such as YouTube Premium, simple ad campaigns alone have limits in conveying brand messages and sparking customers' travel instincts," and added, "Concert Pack is the content that best expresses HereoTtae's brand slogan, 'So that amazing experiences never stop in life.'"
Concert Pack also functions as a gateway for new customer inflows. Deputy Minister Kim said, "Every time we run Concert Pack recruitment, 20% of applicants are people using HereoTtae for the first time," and added, "Data also confirms that newly acquired users continue to use HereoTtae's services."
This year, beyond Concert Pack, HereoTtae plans to expand original content and its own IP (intellectual property) content. The "Bucket Pack," a bucket-list-style travel product, will run four times this year. Plans include a trip to Chungju with former Chungju City Assistant Deputy Director Kim Seon-tae, and Bucket Packs with celebrities in June and August. Through "Ttae Ttae Ttae," HereoTtae's directly run YouTube channel, new video content such as "72-hour blind date" and "What to do without using vacation days" will also be unveiled.
This summer's peak-season campaign will focus more on domestic destinations than overseas, in light of international conditions. Deputy Minister Kim said, "We aim to spotlight domestic destinations not simply as places to visit during vacation season but as places imbued with history and meaning," and added, "If we look at familiar places from new angles and perspectives, we can spark the desire to travel."
HereoTtae plans to continue to lead with its own content to broaden touchpoints with customers. Deputy Minister Kim said, "We want to be a brand that, beyond a simple reservation platform, gives customers reasons to travel," and added, "Our goal is to make the HereoTtae brand come to mind first when people think of travel."