Federation of Korean Industries wants to turn uninhabited islands into fanclub attractions

[kyokomurasaki.livejournal.com]

Would you visit an island dedicated to major Hallyu stars such as EXO or Kim Soo Hyun?

That’s what the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) is banking on with their new island proposals that were presented on June 28th. Despite the influx of tourists coming to Korea due to the ever-growing Hallyu Wave, the tourism aspect of the country is still in need of revitalization.

To combat this problem, the FKI proposed an idea to take Korea’s current uninhabited islands and transform them into fan-club based attractions such as an “EXO Island” or “Kim Soo Hyun Island.”

While there are many other rules and regulations that must be put in place before this can happen, the FKI made a strong case for it, citing that fans would have more ease when it comes to booking their trips to Korea and justified it by noting that the influence of the Hallyu wave sees thousands of tourists a year.

Source: Koreaboo, Yonhap News

This sounds like a stupid af idea for a variety of reasons, not least because popularity comes and goes so quickly so it doesn't make sense unless they could easily change the "theme," but I wish they'd turn them into nature preserves or something like that since they're uninhabited (but stuff like that doesn't make $$$$.)

I would sure as hell love to watch Survivor: EXO Island though.

Comments

[gee.livejournal.com]

Stupid as hell idea for so many reasons. The first one coming to mind being that if someone is coming to SK for idol or actor reasons, chances are they are going to want to you know... actually try to see that person up close. Music shows, signings, concerts. That's why people travel, not to hang out on a themed island lol. Unless SM is gonna banish one of the members of EXO to the island permanently as punishment, I don't see how they could make a visit there appealing to a fan.

[seulgibear.livejournal.com]

loool you know SM would

they could have a lot of themed stuff tho. and put in those walking exo dolls. i'd rather see a SM island being made, rather than for individual groups.

[dokyungsoo.livejournal.com]

mte, unless it's going to serve some bahamas realness, i wouldn't take the time to travel to another island altogether that doesn't even cover my shopping/food needs whilst said group of that island is off elsewhere holding a concert i could be attending.

[seulgibear.livejournal.com]

this is one step closer to getting an actual exo planet!!! give pluto a makeover tbh

so i guess this could be like a disneyland-like park or something? as long as it doesn't mean they would get even more overworked than they already are, eh, it could definitely make a lot of money. i would totally visit, negl

[blowfishprince.livejournal.com]

lol @ exo planet

[kwonsoonyoung.livejournal.com]

lol @ the country taking smtown's theme #SMsimpact

[a-cheshire-grin.livejournal.com]

...due to the ever-growing Hallyu Wave...

Is Hallyu really still growing? I'm from Japan and here the wave is pretty much dead. I also feel that international fans are slowly losing interest or maybe I just get that feeling because I myself am not very interested in KPop anymore.

[kwonsoonyoung.livejournal.com]

yeah, maybe it's just you sis

[suxaholic.livejournal.com]

I agree with you

[kyokomurasaki.livejournal.com]

I've heard hallyu is pretty much over in Japan but I don't have any solid data to back that up rn.

[simprov.livejournal.com]

maybe its just shifting. like i remember hearing that certain k dramas are/were huge in like iran. is that still true??

[simprov.livejournal.com]

i feel like a better approach would be to make islands for entertainment companies rather than just groups. then it would be easier to just change shit out if a group imploded or lost popularity.
but still lol this is weird af. will there be rides? can there be a dumbo-esque ride but with chanyeol instead? there could be an idol version of the classic disney dark rides, complete with an ending in hell a la mr toads wild ride.
im down for sm disneyland tbh!

[kyokomurasaki.livejournal.com]

I think it would be funny to have individual group/company islands just so there could be literal fanwars a-la One Piece, people's islands getting invaded... it would be hilarious to watch.

[countingcr0ws.livejournal.com]

Lemme paddle a boat and raid the shit out of XX island, lol. Now that you mention, its actually kinda weird. Like let me shit (literally) on that island. Hahahaahaha.

[torontok.livejournal.com]

I'd rather watch sasaengs Battle Royale on an island.

[yohan94.livejournal.com]

lmao and the last ome standing gets to spend a day w their oppar

[violoncelliste.livejournal.com]

and here i thought idols can't be changed into products any more

[atopworld.livejournal.com]

Pretty soon there's gonna be holograms we can keep in our homes.

[sra-interesante.livejournal.com]

maybe a little amusement park but a whole themed island is too much, fans can change their mind and lose interest so fast anyways

what if they start building a themed island and the group or actor gets involved in a scandal before they finish the whole thing??

sm shouldn't consider this idea

[bishieaddict.livejournal.com]

I could see this happening if they move the live shows to the islands, hold concerts, have trainees working the theme park or cover their seniors songs. 2 birds in one stone .. they could earn money to pull them out if debt and motivate people to visit (fangirls might flock to be served by a cute potential idol?)

[bamboolover.livejournal.com]

Dear SK please rename Liancourt Rocks to EXO Rocks and watch the shitstorm, also save Japan from them.

[slowitdownbaby.livejournal.com]

An island dedicated to EXO sounds a lot like Battle Royale to me lol.

[atopworld.livejournal.com]

Hunger Games with just EXO 12, I would SO pay for that.

[pseudo-shigure.livejournal.com]

I would sure as hell love to watch Survivor: EXO Island though.

pfshh... we all know siheung pi-bada would win that

[atopworld.livejournal.com]

Temptation Island: Shinee


.....................don't know about youse guys, but suddenly I have money for this.

[sra-interesante.livejournal.com]

(http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/sologifs100/media/tumblr_npgo1924px1qjeyv4o1_500_zpsdq13ul8v.gif.html)
Temptation island lmao

[leighbee333.livejournal.com]

+1

[bomsnose.livejournal.com]

if no one goes to those islands anyway, then it might be an idea... maybe 10 people would go per year then lol
otherwise i don't see the point. invest more in research, korea.

[dot-rose.livejournal.com]

Errr.....I would visit the SM store (if it was conveniently placed near a commercial area) just to see it. Hell, if I was visiting South Korea, I may enter every store in the mall, just for fun.
But to go to an island for an idol-theme ...location is stretching it.
A risk for this would be that the Hallyu Wave isn't as big as before and the life span of an idol may not be worth the investment. The theme park may be forced to 'renovate' itself every 3-5 years.

[atelierlune.livejournal.com]

I'm actually a little disturbed by the concept. Would the labor laws be the same on these islands? Will there be an official SK government presence? Is this a way for labels to whisk away misbehaving trainees and keep them working while isolated from their families, friends, and others groups that might intervene? Will there be a complete suite of emergency services in the event of, say, dangerous inclement weather, or will corners be cut?