PRESS RELEASE
No.	PR/22-20	Date	December 21, 2022
Contact	Program Inquiries: Son Ja-young, Assistant Officer, CTU (+82-2-2287-1181, jyson@aseankorea.org) Press Inquiries: Kim Hyun-ji, Senior Officer, IDU (+82-2-2287-1143, hjk@aseankorea.org)
ASEAN-Korea Centre is an International Organization mandated to promote economic and socio-cultural cooperation between ASEAN Member States and Korea.

Re-discoveringASEAN through Architecture, ‘ASEAN-Korea Familiarization Tour 2022’

- ASEAN-Korea Centre to feature promotional videos ofMalaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand under the theme ‘Architectureand Culture Tour’ –

year’s Fam Tour videos introducetourism destinations in Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand underthe theme of ‘Architecture and Culture Tour’ to illustrate the respective countries’culture and ways of life as represented through its local architecture.

A total of fourvideos will be released to showcase architectural sites in 2 cities for each ofthe four countries, which was selected in cooperation with the respective ASEANNational Tourism Organizations. This will also be followed by a concluding1-minute architectural commentary at the end of each video. Videos on Malaysiaand the Philippines will be released on 21 December while videos on Singaporeand Thailand will be released on 28 December.

The promotional videofor Malaysia will introduce the Malaysian cities of Melaka and Ipoh. Melaka, aUNESCO World Heritage site, portrays a diverse array of architecturalinfluences due to its rich history in trade and cultural exchanges between the Eastand West in the Straits of Malacca. Ipoh, the third largest city in Malaysiaand known for its vast fortunes made during the boom of tin-mining industries,is likewise characterized by historical buildings with various culturalinfluences such as the Town Hall and the Railway Station. The selected architecturalsites illustrate Islamic, Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese, and British influencesand allow the viewer to experience the cultural diversity of Malaysia through itsunique architectural style.

as the‘City of Smiles’. As the oldest city in the Philippines with a rich history inCatholicism, the video showcases Cebu’s representative religious architecture aswell as ancestral houses. In Bacolod, just an hour flight from Cebu, the videohighlights the Masskara Festival and the region’s architecture that reflectsthe communal values of solidarity and faith.

The Singapore videoshowcases the story of Singapore’s distinctive architecture which focuses onthe coexistence of people and that of the city and its surrounding nature. Througha cinematic tour of architectural sites such as Marina One and Gardens by theBay, the audience will be guided into the “City in a Garden” which is built on thevalues of sustainability, and which explores various possibilities in biophilicdesign.

For Thailand,the promotional video will showcase the religious and traditional architecturein Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, two of the most popular tourist destinations inNorthern Thailand known for its rich cultural heritage and festivals. The twocities, once capitals of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, display architecture underthe Lanna influence and allow the viewers to get a taste of nature-friendlyarchitectural design that exudes peace and tranquility.

The ASEAN-KoreaFamiliarization Tour program startedin 2019 to support the revitalization of ASEAN-Korea tourism and to promotepeople-to-people exchanges through the promotion of diverse culture andtourism resources of ASEAN. The program adopted a virtual format in the past 2years due to the ongoing pandemic but this year, with global tourism on themend, the Fam Tour videos will showcase ASEAN’s beautiful destinations thatwere filmed on-site. The videos will be released on the official YouTubechannels of the ASEAN-Korea Centre and ASEAN National Tourism Organizations on21 and 28 December. The video release will also be followed by a gift event forviewers participating in the survey.

Annex. Web banner forASEAN-Korea Familiarization Tour