Girl group Rescene to frame Suwon as destination city as ambassadors

The members of the girl group Rescene have been appointed as honorary promotional ambassadors for Suwon, the Gyeonggi city government announced Wednesday.

They will promote the city through a range of events and campaigns, including the "2026-2027 Visit Suwon Year" initiative.

The appointment marks another step in the group’s swift rise, which began not with a comeback performance or a music show win, but with a spontaneous catchphrase. In a video on member Woni’s personal YouTube channel, Japanese member Minami exclaimed, “Geoje yaho!” which translates to “Yay, Geoje!" a line that quickly went viral across short-form video platforms and online communities. Woni is from Geoje, South Gyeongsang.

The combination of Minami's deadpan delivery, the unexpected regional name-drop and the group's easy chemistry turned the moment into a meme. Re-enactment videos and comments flooded social media, and searches for the group spiked among people who said they had discovered Rescene through the meme. The members were subsequently appointed promotional ambassadors for Geoje. 

The Suwon appointment continues that momentum, with member Liv originally from Suwon. "I am happy and honored to serve as a promotional ambassador for my beloved hometown," Liv said.

Suwon said it plans to leverage the group's popularity with younger audiences and its strong online presence to produce digital content that promotes the city's history, culture, tourism and festivals to domestic and international audiences.

"We are very pleased to have Rescene as Suwon's promotional ambassadors," said Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-joon. "We expect Liv, who is from Suwon, and the other members' bright and energetic image to be a great asset in showcasing the city's appeal."

Rescene responded, "We will do our best to introduce Suwon's beautiful history, culture and attractions to as many people as possible."

Rescene debuted in March 2024 with “Re:Scene." The group consists of five members: Zena, May, Liv, Minami and Woni. It is set to drop a new release, a cover of Kara's "Pretty Girl" (2008), on July 8.

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]