Korean Air welcomes first international arrival of 2026

(Korean Air)

A Chinese tourist visiting Korea to experience K-culture became the first international arrival of 2026 on Thursday, the first day of the Year of the Red Horse.

Korean Air said it held a welcoming ceremony early Thursday morning at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport to greet its first inbound passenger of the new year.

The honor went to Xu Shuangyan, a Chinese woman in her 20s who arrived on Korean Air flight KE864 from Beijing.

Korean Air presented Xu with two round-trip Prestige Class (business class) tickets on the Incheon–Beijing route, a one-night stay in a Grand Suite King room at Grand Hyatt Incheon, and a bouquet of flowers. Senior executives, including Ko Kwang-ho, head of the passenger business division, and Song Ki-won, head of the Incheon passenger service branch, attended the event to congratulate the arrival.

“I have always been interested in Korean culture, so I decided to visit to experience it firsthand,” Xu said. “I plan to tour major filming locations from dramas and movies and enjoy attending concerts as well.”

Korean Air said it will continue to focus on safe operations and top-tier service this year as a global network carrier. “In the new year, we will continue connecting the world and solidifying our position as a trusted airline for customers worldwide,” a company official said.