From K-pop to zoning out, Seoul crowdsources its next tourism map

A promotional poster for the Korea Tourism Organization's "100x100 Project" / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

Korea is turning to its own citizens to map out the future of domestic travel, launching a massive nationwide initiative to crowdsource the ultimate bucket list of 10,000 cultural and geographic landmarks.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization, announced Monday the launch of the "100x100 Project." Through July 10, the public can vote across 100 distinct subcategories — each curated to select 100 definitive locations — to catalog the country's vast but underutilized regional assets.

The campaign signals a major shift away from cookie-cutter tour packages toward hyper-specific, lifestyle-driven travel. Rather than focusing solely on traditional historical sites, the ministry unveiled 100 themes meticulously compiled by travel journalists, authors and regional experts. These categories span from traditional comfort foods like local hangover stews to modern wellness trends focused on relaxation and zoning out in nature to counter burnout.

To capitalize on the recent surge in international tourism, the project also explicitly targets the tastes of global travelers. Voting categories include designated K-pop pilgrimage sites, iconic filming locations from global streaming hits and vintage fashion meccas hidden in Seoul's alleyways.

Organizers expect the campaign to act as a vital compass for international visitors looking to venture beyond the saturated capital city. By highlighting micro-communities, barefoot forest paths and scenic remote islands, the government aims to distribute tourism revenue more evenly across rural provinces facing demographic decline.

“The 100x100 Project will serve as a crucial milestone to make travel easier and more engaging,” said Kang Jung-won, director general of the Tourism Policy Bureau at the ministry. “It can guide international travelers beyond Seoul and the metropolitan area, serving as a compass to direct their footsteps toward new, undiscovered regions.”

Once the voting concludes, the final list of 10,000 destinations will be published digitally, accompanied by a summer campaign featuring stamp-tours, exclusive collectibles and collaborations with major digital creators to keep regional exploration alive through the autumn.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.