One Million Visitors in Five Days

The Istanbul-GyeongJu international cultural Expo 2013 is coloring the historical and cultural city of Istanbul with Korean culture. With the excitement of the event ever growing, the total number of visitors broke through the one million mark in just five days. According to the organizing committee, a total of 1,194,000 persons visited the expo as of 10pm on September 5.    

Among the sites where the expo is held, Sultanahmet Square was the most popular, with over 800,000 visitors passing through. The square hosts attractions such as the Korean traditional cultural experience hall, the Silkroad Bazzar that exhibits and sells folk specialty products from 19 countries, the Korean Content exhibition center, and the K-Food exhibition center. The Gyeongsangbuk-do GyeongJu Exhibition center, which is also located in Sultanahmet Square, attracted 213,000 visitors who could experience North Gyeongsang Province and Gyeongju’s history, cultural heritage, and tourism. 

Sultanahmet Square is the greatest masterpiece of Byzantine architecture bordered by the Ayasofya Museum, a symbol of Istanbul history, and the Blue Mosque, a mosque representing Turkey. This choice of location by the expo organizing committee has contributed to the success of sharing Korea’s national treasure of culture with Istanbul. 

Abdulaman Shen, head of culture and society for Istanbul, said, “This is the first time in history that foreign culture has been introduced in such detail and depth in Turkey. North Gyeongsang Province has preoccupied Turkey.” He added, “Korean culture is being introduced successfully here, which is providing a great chance for the international community and Turkey to understand it.”   

Lee Dong Woo, director general of GyeongJu International Cultural Expo, said, “This expo will serve as the first opportunity for spreading the Korean Wave of Traditional Culture starting from Istanbul, an historical center of civilization.”