South Korea’s state-sponsored month-long shopping blowout Korea Sale FESTA begins Sept. 28, with this year’s event added with rich cultural events and entertainment to add tourism appeal.

The Korea Sale FESTA, modeled after the Black Friday in North America and Singles Day of China, was initiated by the government last year to help stimulate consumption and tourism.

Over 100 service providers from hospitality, dining, and entertainment industries will join this year’s event whereas only 37 such names were included in last season. Total corporate participants would nearly double to 400 from last year’s 211.

Local governments have arranged various tourism programs and cultural experience day trips timed with the big sale season.

By Park Eun-jin and Park Chang-young

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]