KEEN and California bring wellness-focused road trip to Seoul

Visit California partnered with footwear brand KEEN on June 24 to host a wellness-themed activation in Seoul, South Korea, reimagining California’s iconic road trip as an urban walking journey. Held in celebration of Global Wellness Day, “Walk into California with KEEN” took place in the city’s Seongsu district and Seoul Forest, attracting 30 lifestyle influencers and 15 media representatives. The event was designed to connect with Millennial wellness seekers through movement, sustainability and storytelling.

The experience began in Seoul Forest, where participants received KEEN shoe fittings and took part in guided stretching to kick off the California-inspired walking route. The path included a stop at a California-themed café and featured a plogging activity, which encouraged attendees to pick up litter along the way. To support this effort, organizers distributed eco-kits to promote sustainable habits.

Following the walk, guests gathered at the KEEN concept store for a wellness talk titled “A Morning in California.” Speakers shared insights about California’s variety of travel styles, including electric vehicle road trips, cycling, walking and train travel. The event wrapped up with California-style finger foods, casual networking and a lucky draw giveaway featuring roundtrip airfare to California, KEEN shoes and branded totes.

To extend the experience online, Visit California and KEEN launched a co-branded Instagram campaign that invited participants to share their personal KEEN x California wellness moments. The activation generated more than 19.7 million impressions and helped position California as a leading destination for wellness-focused travel.