Hallyu is magnet for int'l tourists to Seoul

By Kim Se-jeong

Hallyu, or the Korean cultural wave, is the top reason foreign tourists visit Seoul, and more want to experience local people’s lives and Korean traditions rather than go sightseeing, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG).

The SMG said Thursday it conducted in-depth interviews with 30 people who came to the city in May to collect their feedback and brainstorm new tourism policies.

Most of the tourists said Korean soap operas and music performances by idol groups were the main factors that brought them to the city. Those from North America said the tragic history of the Korean War (1950-53) and lingering tensions between South and North Korea were also big reasons.

The interviews found more travelers are moving from sightseeing to experience-based itineraries. One example was visiting royal palaces in traditional hanbok clothes, while others said they wanted to have chicken and beer delivery at their guesthouses.

Asked about Seoul’s image, many answered it is a young city constantly evolving with new technologies.

The interviewees lauded Seoul’s diverse blend of modernity and tradition. They also praised the city’s convenient public transportation system, high-speed internet and safety.

When it comes to interaction with locals, they said city dwellers seemed busy all the time but were kind and warm when interacting with travelers.

Asked about room for improvement, many tourists said the city should upgrade its tourism infrastructure to accommodate people of different cultural and religious backgrounds. One suggested the city have prayer rooms for Muslim travelers. Other suggestions included restaurants for vegetarians, menus with detailed lists of ingredients and more bidets in restrooms.

“We conducted the focus group interview to get an in-depth understanding of tourists’ needs, which cannot be obtained through multiple-choice surveys of a large number of people,” a city official said.

Of the 30 interviewees, 11 were from China, six from Japan, three from Taiwan and Hong Kong, four from Southeast Asia and six from North America. The numbers were based on the ratio of tourists coming to Korea.