The soul of Seoul
K-pop and K-drama may be at the heart of tourism in South Korea’s capital, but there’s more to the beautiful city.
SEOUL is not new to most people in this part of the world. The popularity of K-pop and K-drama have made the capital of South Korea a desirable holiday destination.
The magnetic visuals of K-pop idols like Red Velvet and K-drama oppa (older) actors like Gong Yoo aside, the city is appealing, with its unique blend of history, culture and cosmopolitan vibe. Last year, Seoul attracted over 13.5 million tourists.
Star2 caught up with Seoul vice mayor Liu Gyoung-gee when he was in town for the I Seoul U event on May 23, in Kuala Lumpur, to find out more about the city’s tourism landscape.
In your opinion, why should people visit Seoul?
South Korea is famous for its beautiful nature, history and hallyu (Korean Wave) culture. In addition to that, people are friendly, and the warm hospitality is even more reason to come to Seoul.
Seoul boasts one of the world’s best subway systems, allowing you to reach anywhere by public transportation, as well as a walkable city environment.
I would like to extend the invitation to all Malaysians to experience all these sights and activities first-hand. (Malaysian arrivals increased by 40% last year.)
What are some of your favourite attractions and activities in Seoul?
I would like to mention the Fortress Wall of Seoul or Hanyang Doseong. You can see Seoul’s beautiful natural landscape from there. Another sight is the Seuollo 7017 (which opened on May 20). Previously an elevated highway, it has been converted into a suspended park where 25,000 trees have been planted. When you stand there, you can see Namsan, which is the southern mountain, and Namdaemun (Market).
Seoul is a paradise for walking, thanks to its subway network and other public transportation. There is a walking course that offers “time travel” through Seoul’s history. Start the tour at Seoul Station. Then walk along Seoullo 7017 until you reach Sungnyemun Gate and then have a snack break at Namdaemun Market.
Continue along the trail to Hanyang Doseong and then Baekbeom Square of Namsan Park and Samsoon Stairs. Finally, wrap up your half-day walking tour at the sidewalk of Hoehyeon Citizen Apartment – and you will have experienced Seoul’s 600 years of transformation from the fortress city of Hanyang to a city of 10 million people today.
Based on your observations, how has the tourism landscape in Seoul evolved over the years?
Many people decide to visit Seoul after watching Korean dramas and listening to K-pop. Therefore, I would recommend Malaysians to try out programmes that offer first-hand experience of the Korean Wave instead of simply looking at it in the third person.
Visit the N Seoul Tower, Yeouido Han River Park & Ferry Cruise, Floating Island, Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain, and Gyeongbok Palace where your favourite dramas were shot so that you will get an idea how the characters felt in your favourite scenes.
In addition, Seoul offers various experiential programmes. There are the K-pop dance programme at Coex Artium of SM Town; the Broadcasting Theme Park Tour programme where you can experience popular broadcasting content such as dramas and entertainment shows at the broadcasting station; make-up and styling programmes that will transform you into your favourite Korean Wave celebrity; and cooking programmes that will give you a taste of what the characters ate in K-dramas. In what ways have K-pop and