Beyond palaces, Seoul emerges as undisputed favorite for young global travelers

Tourists launch paper lotus flowers at Yeouido Mulbit Square during the Seoul Spring Festival in April. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

In the concrete back alleys of Seongsu-dong, affluent young travelers weave through industrial-chic pop-up boutiques testing the latest Korean skin care regimens before drifting toward Gwangjang Market for sizzling mung bean pancakes and spicy rice cakes. By late afternoon, many of those same visitors trade high-fashion storefronts for hiking boots, ascending the granite ridges of Mount Acha to catch sweeping sunset vistas over the skyline — all without ever setting foot outside the municipal limits.

This seamless fusion of high-concept retail, neighborhood gastronomy and urban wilderness has propelled Korea’s capital to an unprecedented milestone in international tourism. Seoul on Monday was named Favorite Worldwide City by millennial and Gen Z travelers in the 2026 Trazees awards for a fifth consecutive year, earning an induction into the publication’s Hall of Fame alongside a rare Quint Status distinction.

Organized by FXExpress Publications, the parent company behind Trazee Travel and Global Traveler, the annual survey aggregates votes from a highly coveted demographic: 25-to-40-year-old corporate and leisure wanderers boasting an average annual household income near $210,000. In claiming the top spot at an awards gala in Chicago, Seoul outranked perennial heavyweights including Dublin, Hong Kong, London and Athens.

"Seoul has transformed into a sophisticated metropolis that captivates global travelers while maintaining deep roots in its traditional cultural heritage," said Francis Gallagher, chief executive officer of FXExpress Publications, noting the city’s decisive margin of victory among young professionals.

The accolade mirrors a broader paradigm shift in international travel.

While past generations arrived in Korea with itineraries strictly anchored to historic royal palaces and formal museums, today’s digital-native wanderers prioritize hyper-local "lifestyle tourism" — seeking out authentic neighborhood rhythms over sanitized tourist enclaves.

Recent mobility data published by the Seoul AI Foundation underscores this shift toward local immersion. In 2025, foreign visitor foot traffic jumped 12.1 percent at the futuristic Dongdaemun Design Plaza, nearly 12 percent along the trails of Mount Acha and over 10 percent across both the vintage clothing markets of Dongmyo and the sprawling food stalls of Gwangjang Market.

Yet Seoul’s dominance rests on more than viral street food and boutique culture. A pristine public transit grid, widespread smart infrastructure and exceptionally low crime rates have made the city an unmatched hub for solo travelers and international conventions alike, according to the city government. In 2025 alone, Seoul hosted 317 major international association meetings, ranking first in Asia and third worldwide, while simultaneously topping global charts for solo travel safety and luxury shopping destination appeal.

"Securing this honor for five straight years proves that Seoul’s urban lifestyle holds enduring global power rather than fleeting trendiness," said Cho Seong-ho, director-general of Seoul's Tourism and Sports Bureau.

Looking ahead, municipal officials said they plan to leverage this momentum by deepening high-value "bleisure" initiatives — blending corporate business travel with leisure experiences — to ensure Korea’s capital remains the world’s definitive capital of cool for generations to come.

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