From K-POP to Seongsu: Why Seoul Keeps Winning Over Gen Z

Seoul has once again won over young travelers worldwide, ranking as Gen Z and millennials’ favorite global city for the fifth consecutive year.

The ranking, based on votes from readers of a U.S. travel publication with a core audience of business travelers aged 25 to 40, placed Seoul at No. 1 in the “Favorite City Among Global Gen Z and Millennials” category of its 2026 rankings. Dublin, Hong Kong, London, and Athens followed.

After topping the category every year since 2022, Seoul received a special “Quintstatus” award and was inducted into the publication’s hall of fame.

What keeps young travelers coming back?

City officials point to the rise of “lifestyle tourism”, experiences that let visitors explore everyday Korean life rather than simply checking traditional tourist attractions off their lists.

That can mean browsing K-fashion and beauty pop-ups in Seongsu, trying street food at Gwangjang Market, vintage shopping in Dongmyo, exploring the alleyways of Hongdae and Euljiro, or hiking Bukhansan.

Foreign visitor numbers at these spots are also rising. Seoul AI Foundation data showed increases of 11.8% at Achasan, 10.5% at Hongdae and Naksan Park, and 10.4% at Gwangjang Market compared with the previous year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to use the recognition to attract more international travelers. “We will make Seoul the global tourism city that the world most wants to visit,” said Cho Sung-ho, director general of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Tourism and Sports Bureau.

For Gen Z and millennials, Seoul is becoming more than palaces and shopping malls. Neighborhoods, local eateries, cafés, pop-ups, and independent businesses are now part of the experience.

With K-POP, K-dramas, K-beauty, and K-fashion reaching audiences worldwide, more young travelers are coming to Seoul to experience the culture they first discovered online.