Oyster Workshop Alumni Study Tour to Korea a huge success
Members pose in front of Shinsegae Department Store with Namsan Tower in the background
North Asia CAPE, in collaboration with Oyster Workshop Alumni, delivered its first physical study tour for Māori and Pacifica Creative Alumni recently with a thought-provoking visit to Seoul, South Korea from 30 April through 5 May 2024. The tour included six individuals from the alumni group and two representatives from North Asia Cape who explored the opportunities available in Korea’s vibrant health, beauty, and fashion industries. The visit also presented a great opportunity for the visiting alumni entrepreneurs to gain local market knowledge and eventually export their products to Korea.
Visit to Myeong-dong shopping district
In partnership with the Kiwi Chamber and the in-market experts at Korea Market Research Co., a comprehensive program was developed to ensure the visiting group was kept busy. The first day kicked off with a visit to the Myeong-dong shopping district, a must see for retail-minded visitors as it is littered with shops, including the famed Olive Young. The group finished with a stop at the Shinsegae Department Store.
In the afternoon session, the team took in High Street Italia and Garosoo-Gil shopping street, enjoyed a fabulous traditional Korean lunch (hanjeongsik) with a plethora of delicious side dishes and finished the day with a walkabout in the expansive Express Bus Terminal shopping mall.
Coffee and dessert in Myeong-dong
On day two, the team traveled throughout Seoul visiting numerous high-end Korean department stores, shopping malls, and hypermarkets to experience the vast range of products available within the health, beauty, and fashion sectors. It also provided a great visual of how products are packaged and displayed – providing insight on how they might position their own products in-market.
Express Bus Terminal Shopping Mall visit
Later in the day, the visiting team had a fantastic opportunity to engage in business-to-business meetings, gaining a wealth of knowledge on the local scene and forging important relations for the future. To cap off the busy day, the group was treated to an evening out at Bonny’s Pizza, which is owned by New Zealand entrepreneur and Kiwi Chamber Vice Chairman Malcolm Luke. The event, which was hosted by North Asia Cape and the Kiwi Chamber, offered a buffet of tasty food, drink and networking with other Kiwis and members from the local business community.
Dinner with Kiwi Chamber members at Bonny’s Pizza Pub
Day three offered a whole new direction as the study tour group focused more on business visits and meetings to provide them with a practical approach for doing business in the Korean market. During the morning, they visited the local Zespri (kiwi fruit) office, the Dongdaemun Fabric Market and Bangsan Packaging Market.
In the afternoon, they paid a visit to the New Zealand Embassy and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) offices in Seoul for a meet and greet and were briefed on the business landscape in Korea. For the final activities, the tour was broken into two teams with the fashion team conducting an interview with the top publication Fashion Review while the other team visited Yuhan Care for a business meeting.
Oyster Workshop Alumni products on display at Kiwi Chamber New Zealand Wine Festival
On the final day of the visit, the study tour group received an in-market presentation from Korean Market Research Co. on the ins and outs of doing business in Korea. In the afternoon, they travelled to the Grand Hyatt Seoul where they were interviewed by a professional videographer to get takeaways from their visit to Korea. For their final endeavor, they enjoyed the 2024 Kiwi Chamber New Zealand Wine Festival Seoul where they set up booths and displayed their products to the over 600 guests in attendance. They also enjoyed premium wine from over 25 wineries from New Zealand, a five-star buffet and traditional Kapa Haka performance on a very beautiful day – a great way to conclude their visit.
Overall, the North Asia Cape Oyster Workshop Alumni Study Tour was an overwhelming success which provided a practical educational experience for those wishing to introduce their products to the Korean market. We wish the individuals the utmost success in their futures.
Please check out our video of the Oyster Workshop Alumni visit to Korea on the Kiwi Chamber YouTube site:https://youtu.be/3t8RWfvpubQ
Tour group ‘dream team’
