The Korea Tourism Organization said it was helping 103 U.S. fans of Korean pop visit the country to see a concert by girl group Girls’ Generation, attend two broadcasters’ K-pop TV shows and visit major tourist spots this week.

The KTO said the 103 fans from a K-pop fan community in Los Angeles asked the KTO’s branch in L.A. to help them attend a concert by Girls’ Generation, also known as SNSD.

With cooperation of SM Entertainment, the group’s agency, the KTO head office in Seoul reserved tickets for the fans for the upcoming concert, which will be held at Olympic Park on Saturday and Sunday.

The fans will also attend MBC’s weekly music program “Show! Music Core” and KBS’ “Immortal Song” in which many pop groups are featured, it said. While the KTO helped with scheduling and reservations, the fans are paying for the trip themselves.

The KTO said K-pop has become popular enough among the global audience to attract foreign tourists to Korea.

Taking advantage of the K-pop wave around the world, the KTO will push new projects to draw tourists to Korea not only from Southeast Asia but from North America and Europe.

As well as the K-pop fans from the U.S., about 300 fans from other countries, such as Taiwan, will enjoy the Sunday concert by Girls’ Generation.

The KTO plans to invite more than 5,000 overseas fans for upcoming K-pop concerts, including Incheon Hallyu Concert in August, Asia Song Festival in October and Gyeongju Dream Concert in October.

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)