South Korean wedding companies woo rich Chinese

SHOTLIST: AP Television Seoul, South Korea - 30 June 2013 1. Mid of bride Yang Candi having make-up applied and wearing tiara 2. Close-up of Yang 3. Mid of Yang and fiance Chen Jingjing having their picture taken 4. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Yang Candi, Bride: "I found out about the South Korean wedding shoot through an internet search. I searched for 'South Korea wedding shoot,' and the company 'iWedding' popped up. I entered the company's website, and there were details on various make-up studios, dress fitting studios and photo shoot studios. I could see many sample photos on the website, so I made choices from there." 5. Close-up of Yang and Chen smiling while looking at pictures on phone together 6. Mid of Yang and Chen 7. Close-up of diamond ring on Yang's hand 8. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Yang Candi, Bride: "In China, the photo shoots are more likely to be in traditional Chinese style or European style. Compared to those, South Korean photo studios are very simple and express their own stories. So it was unique." 9. Mid of Yang and Chen looking at sample wedding photos 10. Wide of bridal photo shoot 11. Wide of Yang and Chen posing for wedding photos 12. Tilt down of Yang and Chen having wedding photos taken 13. Wide of Yang having photos taken 14. Tilt up of Yang 15. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Chen Jingjing, Groom: "We decided to come to South Korea because we can not only take our wedding photos, but also go shopping and travel at the same time." 16. Various of Yang and Chen posing for photographs under umbrella, with water pouring down 17. Mid of couple in evening wear 18. Mid of Lee Su-sun, Deputy Director of Partner Relationship Management at "iWedding," talking 19. SOUNDBITE: (Korean) Lee Su-sun, Deputy Director of Partner Relationship Management at "iWedding:" "Our Chinese customers coming to Seoul total around 40 to 50 couples per month, and those going to Jeju island total 20 to 30 couples per month on average." 20. Wide of Yang and Chen posing in evening dress 21. Mid of Yang and Chen 22. SOUNDBITE: (Korean) Lee Su-sun, Deputy Director, Partner Relationship Management at "iWedding:" "Chinese customers who are from middle or upper classes (in China) usually visit Seoul (for wedding photo shoot). That is because issuing a visa to enter South Korea is complicated. Visas can only be issued to Chinese who meet certain qualifications such as having bank accounts in China or having a certain level of social status. Therefore, middle or upper class Chinese couples often come to Seoul. In the case of entering Jeju island, since a visa is not required, middle class Chinese couples usually go there to travel and to take wedding photos." 23. Wide of Yang and Chen having their wedding photographs taken 24. Tilt-up of Yang and Chen having wedding photographs taken 25. Mid of Song Sung-uk, Professor of South Korean pop culture studies, Catholic University of Korea, speaking 26. SOUNDBITE: (Korean) Song Sung-uk, Professor of South Korean pop culture studies, Catholic University of Korea: "I think self-empathy and envy of Chinese people towards a wedding or a romantic relationship that appeared in South Korean soap operas, leading to a very happy family, naturally led to wedding photo shoots in South Korea. This is an economic effect on tourism that South Korean soap operas have created." 27. Wide of Yang and Chen posing for wedding photographs 28. Pull focus of Yang and Chen LEADIN: Chinese brides and grooms-to-be are flocking to South Korea for special pre-wedding photo shoots. The country is wooing couples who are not afraid to spend several thousand dollars for a pristine set of pictures. STORYLINE: The service costs 2,000 US dollars to 4,000 US dollars. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7809d2aeee288028d11bea50d0b5c657 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork