KC Arirang

Project Overview

The KC Arirang Festival is Kansas City’s premier Korean cultural celebration, hosted annually in collaboration with UMKC and the Korean American Society of Greater Kansas City. Linkplus served as the lead agency responsible for end-to-end project execution—from strategic planning and event design to marketing, media production, and onsite festival operations.

The festival welcomed thousands of attendees, highlighted Korean culture through performances, workshops, and vendors, and strengthened Kansas City’s multicultural presence through community partnerships and corporate sponsors.media.

Objective

The objective was to position Velvet Noon’s Spring/Summer line not just as a product launch but as a bold brand statement. We aimed to shape a campaign that reflected the label’s evolution while drawing clear lines between past collections and the new direction they were taking. This involved exploring visual references from architecture, cinema, and contemporary art to distill a campaign that felt curated, cinematic, and deeply intentional. The goal was to spark excitement across multiple touchpoints—media outlets, returning customers, and potential stockists—while reinforcing the brand’s design-forward reputation. Every visual had to contribute to the story of confidence and fluidity that defined the collection itself.

Scope of Work

1. Promote Korean Culture in Kansas City

   Showcase traditional and modern Korean arts, food, music, and experiences to a diverse local audience.

2. Strengthen Community Engagement & Visibility

   Create a flagship cultural event that connects Korean American communities, local institutions, sponsors, and the broader public.

3. Establish a Scalable Event Model

   Build a repeatable and growing festival framework supported by professional marketing, sponsorship development, and creative media assets.

4. Drive Economic & Cultural Impact

   Increase foot traffic for local Korean businesses, expand regional tourism interest, and position Kansas City as a city that embraces global culture.

Scope of Work (SOW)

1. Event Planning & Operations

• Developed overall event structure, stage programming, timelines, vendor layout, and volunteer workflows.

• Coordinated with UMKC, performers, organizations, and city partners.

• Managed onsite operations including registration, stage management, sound coordination, vendor relations, and guest services.

• Supervised 80+ volunteers, performance teams, cultural groups, and food vendors.

2. Marketing & Communications

• Created all promotional campaigns across social media, email newsletters, community networks, and paid advertising.

• Designed graphic materials: posters, banners, signage, digital ads, festival maps, and program books.

• Developed multicultural marketing targeting Korean, Asian American, and mainstream U.S. audiences.

• Implemented paid Meta/Instagram ad campaigns to boost attendance and awareness.

3. Media Production

• Produced all festival media assets including promotional videos, highlight films, photography, and interviews.

• Captured multi-camera coverage of performances, workshops, and crowd activities.

• Created post-event recap films, sponsor-integration clips, and content for future marketing cycles.

• Managed full creative production workflow: scripting, filming, editing, color grading, and delivery.

4. Sponsorship Strategy & Partner Relations

• Created sponsorship packages and secured partnership deals with local businesses and organizations.

• Managed sponsor deliverables: logo placement, booth setup, cross-promotion, and dedicated media inclusion.

• Coordinated with city officials, university partners, and Korean organizations.