🧠 Preparing for the Kakao Tourism Data Contest

Preparing for the Kakao Tourism Data Contest

While preparing for the Kakao Tourism Data Contest, I was able to think deeply about creating a “travel service that delivers emotions through data,” rather than just focusing on implementing functions. This project aimed to build an AI-based literary travel platform that connects places described in literature with real-world destinations, under the theme “the convergence of literature and travel.”

✍️ The Starting Point of the Idea

At first, we simply thought about “traveling to places mentioned in literary works,” but as we began working with data, the concept expanded.

“What if users could enter a book title, and the system would recommend travel routes based on the book’s setting?”

“What if, when users reach a particular location, they could listen to a quote from the book that mentions that place?”

To make these ideas a reality, we combined Kakao Maps, Public Cultural Data, and Book APIs.

Each piece of data felt like it was telling a story, and for the first time, I experienced the sense that I wasn’t just coding — I was designing an experience.

⚙️ Challenges During Implementation

The biggest challenge was ensuring connectivity between datasets.

Book information, regional attractions, and cultural event data all came from different sources with inconsistent formats.

To link them naturally, we implemented both keyword-based matching and coordinate-based recommendations.

While developing the location-based notification feature, adjusting GPS precision and API call timing proved to be tricky.

Through this, I learned that user experience matters more than technical perfection — technology is ultimately a tool to convey emotion.

💡 Collaboration and Project Planning

The contest taught me that success isn’t just about coding skills — it requires planning ability, data literacy, and storytelling.

Since the theme “expressing literary emotion through data” was quite abstract, our team engaged in extensive discussions to visually map out the user journey, and we designed detailed flowcharts (integration diagrams) connecting all the key features.

🌿 Reflections and Lessons Learned

I realized the immense potential of public data.

Even a single API can generate countless creative contents, and depending on how the data is connected, it can provide entirely new experiences.

I learned the importance of balancing planning and technology.

A project isn’t great just because it has many features — it becomes meaningful when the story and emotion resonate.

Above all, I felt genuine joy in merging my love for literature and technology.

This is a theme I’d like to continue developing even after the contest.

🚀 In Conclusion

The Kakao Tourism Data Contest wasn’t just a development experience — it was a journey of exploring how data can move human emotions.

Imagine starting a trip with a single line from a book, and then hearing that same line come alive in the real place where it was written —

That emotional connection, recreated through technology, was our ultimate goal.