Seoul unveils plan to turn city into 24-hour destination

Seoul is preparing to stretch its nightlife well beyond dinner and drinks, with plans for late-night museum visits, hikes, temple meditation sessions, drone shows and food markets as part of a new push to turn the city into a 24-hour destination.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled the plan Thursday, targeting the hours between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. and integrating culture, tourism and commercial districts with expanded transportation services.

The initiative comes as international tourists are staying longer and spending more in the capital. In the first half of this year, 8.23 million foreign tourists visited Seoul, up 21.3 percent from the same period last year. Their credit card spending reached 5.6 trillion won ($4 billion), up 56.8 percent.

Under the plan, the city aims to generate an additional 5 trillion won in annual nighttime consumption and attract 30 million tourists within five years.

Landmarks after dark

The city will designate Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Mount Nam, Gwanghwamun and the Han River as its four major nighttime landmarks, tailoring content in each area to extend visitors' stays and spread the benefits to surrounding commercial districts.

DDP and the greater Dongdaemun area will begin a pilot project this September to develop a year-round nighttime hub for fashion, design and food. Mount Nam will focus on forest and night views as an urban retreat and Gwanghwamun will blend history with media art. The Han River area will expand on its drone light shows and festivals.

Starting in September, eight municipal cultural facilities, including museums and art galleries that currently stay open late once a week will gradually expand to five nights a week, staying open until 9 p.m.

The "Seoul Museum Night" program will run as a pilot from September to November before becoming permanent in 2027, with each facility offering distinctive events, including family-friendly tours and curator-led exhibition talks.

Nighttime programming will also come to the capital's mountains, temples, sports events and festivals, turning night hiking with skyline views and temple meditation into special late-night experiences.

The "Seoul Moonlight Market" program will expand from five locations this year to 25 by 2028, with the city supporting long-established restaurants through space upgrades, branding and marketing.

Night buses, stronger safety measures

The city also plans to make it easier and safer to move around Seoul after dark. Police will be deployed to areas with large numbers of tourists and additional personnel will monitor alleyways in coordination with local police substations starting next year.

To improve mobility, the city will launch the "Firefly Bus" in October, connecting major nighttime attractions and transportation hubs in areas such as Hongdae, Gwanghwamun, DDP, Myeongdong and Gangnam. Unlike existing night bus routes, the service will focus primarily on linking major tourist destinations with key transit points.

To expand effective measures and quickly address problems, the city will track data on the resident population, length of stay, local commercial sales and resident complaints and safety issues.

The nighttime economy initiative is part of Seoul’s broader effort to capture more visitor spending after traditional sightseeing hours while giving residents more opportunities to enjoy the city after work.

“Seoul's nighttime economy initiative is not simply about encouraging people to spend and enjoy themselves late into the night. It's about aligning the city's hours with citizens' lives, so people can exercise, enjoy cultural activities and spend more time with their families after work,” Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said.

“We will turn the dynamism of citizens' evenings into opportunities for tourism and neighborhood commercial districts.”