Korean drama My Love from the Star grabs attention, Korean stocks attract capital

(Taiwan Business News) The Korean drama "My Love from the Star" and the classic card game baccarat (baccarat) have one thing in common, and that is attracting mainland Chinese tourists to visit South Korea. The Korean drama and the classic casino game have flexed their power, driving South Korea's 1.3 trillion-scale economy to flourish, and South Korean stocks have also enjoyed a three-year consecutive rise.

The Korean drama "My Love from the Star" is a hit, combined with Korean singers creating a whirlwind in various places, and South Korea's gaming industry growing stronger by the day, attracting mainland tourists to visit. In the first half of this year alone, mainland tourists visiting South Korea surged 54%, reaching 2.7 million people.

An endless stream of mainland tourists visiting South Korea has allowed the South Korean economy to withstand the impact of the rising won, and has added fuel to President Park Geun-hye's efforts to use the global Korean Wave craze to promote the fashion, cosmetics and service industries.

After cosmetics brand Amorepacific Corp. invited the hugely popular female lead of "My Love from the Star," Jun Ji-hyun, to be its spokesperson, its stock price has soared 105% this year. Hotel Shilla Co. relied on mainland tourists to boost sales last year, and its stock price has surged 92% this year.

Juhn Chong Kyu, a strategist at Samsung Securities Co. in Seoul, said in a phone interview on the 13th: "We have discovered the growth engine of South Korea's consumer market. Given that the Korean Wave is expected to continue for 3 to 5 years, now is a great investment opportunity."

Samsung Securities, South Korea's largest securities firm by market value, included Amorepacific, Hotel Shilla and casino operator Paradise Co. in its top investment picks in a report on July 29. 1030819