The Korea Tourism Organization faced criticism for featuring a promotional product created by K-pop group NewJeans and Japanese artist Takashi Murakami in its tourism event on July 11. Despite the merchandise not being politically linked, detractors argued that the organization should have showcased products related to Korean culture to better represent the country's tourism interests. The controversy emerged from the "Real Korean Daily Travel" project, which involved a promotional video and a comment-based competition offering prizes such as Amazon e-gift cards and NewJeans bags. In response to the backlash, the KTO temporarily suspended the event and announced plans to revamp it for better promotion of Korea's tourism attractions. The K-pop agency Ador, a subsidiary of Hybe, revealed that the KTO had not consulted them regarding the giveaway of NewJeans merchandise and had not provided detailed plans. Critics emphasized that as a representative body for promoting Korea, the KTO should have been more cautious in selecting promotional items, suggesting that products from NewJeans' collaboration with renowned hanbok designer Lee Kyu-ok would have been more appropriate. Additionally, they stressed the need for in-depth discussions considering public sentiment when making such decisions.