K-pop fans will love this budget-friendly staycation!
Since overseas travel is a bit challenging these days, you might be feeling the bite of the travel bug. But worry not, fashion department store Shibuya 109 and budget-friendly hotel chain Tokyu Hotels are teaming up to offer a trip to Korea…without even leaving the country!
Until May 31, you can take advantage of the “Tokansu” plan at the Kawasaki King Skyfront Tokyu REI Hotel in Kanto and the Shin-Osaka Esaka Tokyu REI Hotel in Kansai. This plan, whose name comes from the combination of the words tokan gokko, which means “pretending to go on a trip to Korea by staying at a hotel and doing Korea-themed things”, and “vacance”, which means “holiday” in French, lets you experience everything Korean for a reasonable price, and without having to travel too far from home.
Shibuya 109, whose specialty has lately been Korean fashion and food, has designed rooms for Tokyu REI Hotels, which often offer themed rooms, with a Korean-style interior. Inside you’ll find the popular Korean board game Halli Galli, as well as adorable Korean fashion-inspired pajamas, which you’re allowed to take home! The TV even comes equipped with a mirror-link cable to connect to your phone, so you can put your favorite K-pop idol’s videos on the screen.
The plan comes with a takeout box of Korean cuisine for dinner, which you can eat in your room. At the Kawasaki hotel, it comes with yangnyeom chicken (Korean-style sweet and spicy chicken), bulgogi kimchi, namul and cucumber kimchi, jumeokbap (Korean style rice balls), and the popular Korean croissant waffle for dessert.
The Osaka hotel’s dinner box includes a variety of kimchi, jijimi (Korean savory pancakes), samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly), gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), chisha lettuce, and, for dessert, a strawberry parfait. You’ll really feel like you’ve crossed the sea to get to Korea!
Maybe you’re already ready to book your stay, but there’s even more. These two Tokyu hotels are also offering an onsite Korean-style convenience store and a Korean uniform rental shop. The convenience store sells instant ramen like ramden (also known as jjapaduri), the dish popularized by the Academy Award-winning Korean film Parasite, and beloved drinks like Bon Bon.
The uniform rental shop is sponsored by Japan’s first-ever Korean uniform rental shop CHOA, who has selected a variety of outfits that you can rent for free during your overnight stay. K-pop fans might die a little for this opportunity, since you get to wear outfits similar to those worn by K-pop idols, like the mustard yellow school uniform. You’re even allowed to go out wearing them!
There’s also a bright pink photo booth made to look like a doll box, where you can pretend to be K-pop idols yourselves! Perfect for your Instagram account, where fashion and matching “pair looks” are paramount.
The cost of all this Korea-inspired fun is between 8,500 yen and 9,500 yen per person per night (US$74.01 to $82.72), with up to two people allowed to stay in one room. Both hotels have reasonable breakfasts as well, so this is a great price for a staycation. If you’re a K-pop fan who needs a vacation, why not look into it? You can find all the details and book online through the Tokyu Hotels website.
Source, images: PR Times
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[ Read in Japanese ]