Overseas university students appointed to the inaugural Seoul Global Culture Crew participate in an online launch ceremony, Wednesday. Courtesy of the Seoul Metropolitan Government
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is shifting its global public relations (PR) strategy away from expatriates and toward digital natives abroad, launching its inaugural Seoul Global Culture Crew initiative to turn overseas college students into cultural ambassadors.
The city held an online kickoff ceremony Wednesday for 13 selected undergraduates from SOAS University of London and Hungary's Eötvös Loránd University, all of whom are majoring in Korean studies. Unlike traditional municipal supporter programs that recruit foreign residents living in Korea, this pilot project taps students to generate localized, peer-to-peer buzz in their home countries.
The student correspondents will operate through October, producing monthly social media campaigns across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. By leveraging local perspectives, the city aims to showcase Seoul's culture, tourism and daily lifestyle trends with authentic regional nuance.
"The Seoul Global Culture Crew is a novel global PR program that introduces Seoul through the eyes of those living abroad," said Kim Tae-hee, director-general of Seoul’s Culture Bureau. "We plan to expand this into a sustainable international network by bringing in more countries."
