PSA: The New Hallyu Visa Is Every K-Fan’s Ticket to Staying Longer in South Korea

You must plan to stay longer than 90 days to be included in the program.
by Ina Louise Manto | January 21, 2022

From cafe hopping and visiting drama filming locations to going on a K-pop pilgrimage and hoarding skincare, South Korea is a dream travel destination especially for fans of its culture and entertainment industry. Admit it – at some point, one of your deepest dreams included packing your bags and booking a one-way ticket to Seoul, and trying to ~actually~ live there. That could be possible in the near future, especially with the new Hallyu visa.

 

What is Hallyu?

Unless you’re living under a rock, Hallyu or the Korean Wave has taken the globe by storm over the past decade, whether it’s through music, entertainment, or culture. It’s been around since the 1990s and has gotten bigger in the mid-2000s; remember all the Pinoy dubbed Korean dramas and us dancing to Wonder Girls’ Nobody or PSY’s Oppa Gangnam Style on every occasion?

The phenomenon got even bigger during the pandemic, where non-fans turned into stans: from hours of streaming their new favorite K-pop group, collecting photocards as self-care, and binging swoon-worthy K-dramas and movies while craving their delectable food in between.

As a response to the world’s growing appreciation and interest in Korean culture, the Hallyu visa was conceptualized, as shared in an article by The Korea Herald.

 

How does the Hallyu visa work?

“The Justice Ministry has been pushing for the Hallyu visa program on the back of soaring demand for education on Korea’s cultural content, to add further momentum to the Korean Wave and support the pandemic-hit local culture and music industry,” an official told The Korea Herald.

The Hallyu visa is a new program designed to support the entry of foreigners who are eager to learn about the Korean culture and entertainment industry. To be eligible, an individual must plan to stay for more than 90 days and enroll in entertainment-related education.

According to the article, further details about the program will be confirmed in the first half of the year, including the maximum length of stay and its requirements. But don’t get too excited just yet – the implementation of the program is still dependent on the pandemic situation.

The official also shared that the Philippines is where many of the current E-6 or artist and entertainer visa holders are from.

As of writing, South Korea is only open to Korean Nationals, holders of diplomat visas, government official visas, agreement visas, ABTC, APEC CARD, long-term visas of more than 90 days, overseas Korean visa, and refugee travel document holders, and foreigners re-entering the country after obtaining a re-entry permit when leaving the country after June 1, 2020.

 

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