DiscoverLA x Daniel Henney: Localizing Los Angeles
for the South Korean Market
(Global GTM)
Shorty Award–Nominated
Role: Senior Narrative Strategist
Recognition: Shorty Award Nominee — Multi-Platform Partnership
Client: Los Angeles Tourism Board
Scope: Narrative Architecture, GTM Strategy, Influencer Casting & Localization
Challenge
Los Angeles had a branding problem in South Korea: it was viewed as a "stopover," not a destination. To the new generation of Korean travelers, the city felt like a collection of tourist clichés they’d already seen.
The Goal: Shift the narrative from generic tourism to lifestyle storytelling. We needed to trade the "travel brochure" for cultural context, giving our audience a reason to move L.A. from their layover list to their bucket list.
Co-led a high-impact, cross-cultural expansion strategy for LA Tourism starring Daniel Henney, architecting a "transmedia" narrative that drove 15M+ impressions and established a new blueprint for international market entry.
The Strategy: Building the Cultural Bridge
Breaking into the South Korean market required more than just translated captions; it required a complete "re-reading" of the brand through a local lens.
The Protagonist: We secured Daniel Henney as our lead. With massive credibility in both the U.S. and Korea, he was more than just a "face": he was our translator. He provided the cultural shorthand needed to make L.A. feel both aspirational and accessible.
The Hook: Social listening allowed us to move past "famous spots" and focus on cinematic aesthetics and hidden local gems: the "vibe-led" travel that resonates in Korean digital culture.
Narrative Distribution: We architected a tiered rollout across Korea’s top travel media (Yeomi Travel) and Daniel’s own channels. We treated the campaign like a series premiere, ensuring the content landed where the audience already lived.
The Execution: From Brief to Bingeable Content
As the lead social strategist, I sat at the center of a complex international production, ensuring the brand’s "soul" remained intact across time zones and languages.
Creative Direction: We led the concept for the "L.A. Through a Personal Lens" series.
Orchestrating the Ecosystem: We managed the high-stakes dance between international talent agents, Korean media houses, and global offices. My job was to maintain narrative continuity while navigating different cultural expectations of "cool."
Community Immersion: We didn't just broadcast; we engaged, partnering with travel communities like Travelholic to spark organic conversations, turning a celebrity campaign into a trusted peer recommendation.
The Nuance: I oversaw the tonal localization of every line of copy across social media. By mastering South Korean social etiquette, we ensured the brand felt like a "local friend," effectively building trust before the traveler even hit 'book.'
Campaign Highlights
We captured Daniel Henney exploring iconic LA destinations, bringing the city’s culture and excitement vividly to life through his journey.
Daniel Henney at Universal Studios
Daniel Henney’s Instagram caption:
“Hey guys, check out this amazing shoot I did with @discoverla. I’ve always been a fan of Harry Potter, so we stopped at @unistudios (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter), drank some Butterbeer 🍻 and took a shot at becoming a wizard. Swipe to see more and tap the link in bio to see more of my favorite places in L.A. #discoverLA”
Daniel Henney at Dodger Stadium
Daniel Henney’s Instagram caption:
“LET'S GO DODGERS!! ⚾ Watching a game at the world-famous @Dodgers stadium is a must on my @discoverla tour... especially if it's for World Series! Swipe to take a look and tap the link in my bio to see more of my favorite places in LA. #DiscoverLA”
The content was shared seamlessly across Daniel Henney’s channels, DiscoverLA’s platforms, and regional partner Yeomi Travel, maximizing reach and cultural impact.
Results
The campaign was recognized as a cultural event, proving that high-fidelity storytelling is the ultimate GTM tool.
🏆 Shorty Award Nominee: Finalist in the Multi-Platform Partnership category.
💬 Global Press Coverage: 20+ press hits across top-tier outlets like MBC and Grazia.
📊 15M+ Impressions: Delivered through a tiered, multi-platform distribution engine.
💡 20% Growth: Projected surge in visitation from South Korea, validating the long-term ROI of a narrative-first strategy.