The ultimate recipe for building a country's image lies in its soft power to "win peoples' hearts", and good story-telling is a plus, the top national brand planner for Seoul told China Daily.

Lee Bae-yong, chairwoman of South Korea's Presidential Council on Nation Branding, leads the country's top publicity team in its efforts to impress the world by showing an elegant side of the booming economy in Northeast Asia.

"Just as consumers select products based on brand, countries evaluate each other based on the impression of their exposure to a nation's people, products and quality of service," she said.