Korea House Becomes Crowd Favorite at Paris Olympics
The Korea House’s garden erupted with cheers of “Go Korea!” on the afternoon of July 28 – during the women’s team archery finals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The lawn was filled with visitors who were waving the Korean flag and holding spirited signs that read “Medal Runner,” a humorous twist of CJ ENM’s hit K-drama series “Lovely Runner.” They were also chanting “Ten! Ten! Ten!” in unison every time an arrow hit the 10-point mark. When Korea secured its 10th consecutive gold medal in women’s team archery, Korea House transformed into a vibrant celebration.
The 2024 Olympic Games host city of Paris was buzzing with excitement as the Games kicked off. The CJ Group, an official partner of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), represented K-culture at the global sports gala. Notably, the food giant took on the role of title sponsor for the Korea House, acting as its main public relations ambassador. Within the Korea House, CJ Group ran the CJ Group Hall and the bibigo-Zone showcasing and promoting the beauty of K-food to visitors from all around the world.
The excitement was palpable with more than 16,000 visitors flocking to the venue within just five days of its opening. Judging by the crowd at the bibigo pop-up and the enthusiastic support for K-pop with people dancing to the music at the garden outside the Korea House, it became clear just how popular everything with a K-prefix – from food to pop culture – has become in France.
The KSOC has been operating the Korea House since the 2004 Athens Olympics, primarily using it as a nutritional support base for athletes and a venue for press conferences. This year’s Korea House is the largest in its history. The establishment has been reimagined as a cultural hub where visitors can experience K-culture firsthand; and has quickly become a popular attraction for athletes and the public alike.
Even before the opening hours, Korea House, situated near the Invalides archery stadium, was met with crowds excited to experience K-culture. Visitors wearing their respective national team colors stood in line to enter the venue as soon as it opened, chatting in excitement about their favorite K-food and K-pop stars. Despite the rainy weather, the line of people waiting to get in seemed endless.
The “CJ Group Hall,” featuring a dazzling array of globally renowned brands and content, was a hit with visitors. The space was designed to showcase various aspects of K-culture. It featured videos and images, and hosted photo booths representing major labels, brands, and events from the CJ Group, such as bibigo, KCON, MAMA Awards, Olive Young and Studio Dragon. The setup garnered an enthusiastic response from the local audience. Notably, the booths displaying videos and photos of K-pop stars who are famous in Europe attracted long lines of fans who are eager to take selfies. Many visitors also enjoyed posing for photos in front of carts filled with bibigo products.
Madèle (18), who was seen dancing to the music of her favorite K-pop group at the CJ Group Hall, said: “K-pop has been such a big part of my life. I turned to K-pop during tough moments of my life, and ever since, my love for Korean culture has only grown stronger.”
As interest in K-food has surged in France recently, the “bibigo-Zone” also called “bibigo Sijang,” was a local favorite at the Korea House. Visitors got to enjoy the unique ambience of traditional markets in Korea, as well as the chance to experience Korean cuisine through bibigo products. On display at the bibigo-Zone were a variety of food items including tteokbokki, dumplings (called mandu in Korean), rice balls, corn dogs and kimchi. In particular, the ‘Bulgogi Mandu Combo’ and ‘Chicken Mandu Combo,’ featuring tteokbokki and mandu, proved extremely popular with both French locals and international tourists.
Flavie (18), a local who visited the bibigo-Zone, said: “There aren’t a lot of spicy foods in France, so the tteokbokki was a bit spicy for me, but it was really delicious.” She added, “Thanks to this experience, I think I’ll definitely be trying more Korean food in the future.”
For international tourists visiting Paris, the event offered a taste of something new, while for the Korean expatriates who gathered to support Korea, it evoked fond memories and emotions reminiscent of their childhood experiences. Despite preparing more food than initially anticipated, the venue was bustling with crowds and all the ingredients were quickly used up, reflecting the event’s tremendous popularity.
Additionally, a range of creative marketing activities were conducted across the streets of Paris to promote CJ and the Korea House. Among these efforts, Fabien Yoon, a French TV personality well known in Korea, played a key role by creating engaging social media content. He interviewed locals about K-culture at iconic locations such as the Paris City Hall and Jardin du Luxembourg, using nuanced conversations to highlight the charm of K-culture and CJ. He also extended an invitation to locals to visit the Korea House.
CJ also organized a series of innovative marketing events, dubbed the “Surprise Invitation” and “Walking CJ.” The Surprise Invitation sparked interest for its unique method of delivering the Korea House invitations via radio-controlled (RC) cars, while Walking CJ captured the attention of the public through live K-pop street performance together with residents, further promoting the Korea House.
The Paris Olympics was celebrated with the vibrant energy of K-pop, the nostalgic aroma of tteokbokki and the lively atmosphere of a bustling market – all bringing a touch of Korea to the French capital. This blend created a unique mix of both familiarity to some and novelty to others. It was a vivid reminder of how the Games can bridge different cultures and create a shared sense of joy. As people from diverse backgrounds came together, their interactions and celebrations highlighted the true spirit of unity and mutual respect that the Olympics represent.
