Tourists in Seoul are increasingly opting for markets and hiking trails
Foreign tourists in Seoul are increasingly visiting traditional markets and hiking trails in the mountains, rather than limiting themselves to the city’s most famous attractions. The Dongdaemun Design Plaza recorded the highest annual growth in the number of foreign visitors in 2025—12.1%.
According to a report by the Seoul AI Foundation, a municipal research institute, Mount Achasan ranked second in terms of growth rate, at 11.8%. In the Hongdae area and Naksan Park, the number of foreign visitors rose by 10.5%; at Gwangjang Market, by 10.4%; and at Gyeongbokgung Palace, by 10.2%.
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The Seoul AI Foundation prepared a report based on data from mobile operator SK Telecom regarding foreign pedestrian traffic and Google Maps reviews. The study covered 16 major tourist destinations in Seoul in 2025.
The Myeongdong district had the highest average daily number of foreign visitors—100,910 people. Next were the N Seoul Tower observation deck with 57,370 visitors, as well as Samseong Station and COEX with 46,813. Among popular mountain destinations, the average daily number of foreign visitors was 4,015 at Bukhansan, 2,169 at Bukaksan, 1,192 at Gwanaksan, and 729 at Achasan.
