• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.743-758
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• 2014

It has widely been recognized that the EXPO 2012 Yeosu Korea was a succeeded mega event, according to, at least, the international media's attention and reports. This study analysed and compared the trends of the international media's reports on Yeosu in terms of before, preparing, during, and, after periods of the event, through a semantic network analysis. It was revealed that the images of Yeosu have dramatically been upgraded. The city of Yeosu, before the event, was a small port city of South Korea's southern part of peninsula. The city, after the nomination for the next host city of the exposition, was described to a city who had a full potentiality to host a world exposition, not a southern port city of South Korea. After the event was opened, Yeosu was a city of cutting-edge technology and cultural creativity, who had contributed to solve our humankind's pending ecological problems. Even after the events closed, Yeosu was continuously impressed as a ex-city of world exposition, a hub city of Asia trade, and a center for marine ecological restoration. It was suggested that extended monitoring, differentiated communication strategies, long-term planning, and professionalization of the staffs.