Thousands of Chinese tourists feasted on Korean food by Seoul's signature river Tuesday, fighting off evening chills with warm bowls of ginseng chicken soup.

Chinese healthcare company Joymain Science & Technology (Zhongmai Group) sent 4,000 employees to the banks of the Han River in Banpo area, southern Seoul, for a mass serving of "samgyetang" and 4,000 cans of beers.

They were the second group of Joymain employees to enjoy the traditional chicken soup by the river. Last Friday, 4,000 of their colleagues got the first taste of the soup made with a whole young chicken stuffed with ginseng, sticky rice and garlic.

Samgyetang is widely recognized here as an energy-boosting meal during the summer months.

The visitors Tuesday also enjoyed traditional Korean games and took in folk art performances.

They arrived by bus at around 4 p.m., after morning showers had given way to clearer skies, and the dinner started at 7 p.m.

After the meal, singers featured on the soundtrack of the mega-hit TV series, "Descendants of the Sun," took the center stage to cap off the night.

The second batch of the 4,000 Joymain employees arrived in Seoul on Monday for a five-day visit.

The Korea Tourism Organization estimated that the massive Chinese visit will lead to an economic impact worth 49.5 billion won (US$42.2 million). (Yonhap)