"Tears Flow Just Thinking of Seoul"... The 'Seoul Syndrome' Spreading Among Chinese Millennials and Gen Z After Visiting Once

"Seoul Syndrome" Spreads Among Young Chinese
Sharing Experiences of Korean Hospitality and Finding Common Ground

The so-called "Seoul Syndrome" is spreading among young people in China. This phenomenon refers to longing for Seoul and wanting to revisit after a trip to Korea, and it has become a new term that reflects not just post-travel blues but also admiration for Korean culture.

Originally, "Seoul Syndrome" simply described the feeling of regret after a trip. However, its meaning has recently expanded to include the emptiness felt upon returning to daily life after enjoying performances and sightseeing in Korea, as well as a yearning for Korean culture. On Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, videos featuring the night view of the Han River and street scenes in Seoul are gaining popularity. In addition, posts with captions such as "Seoul is the best travel destination in my life" and "After visiting the Han River, you get Seoul Syndrome" are continuously being uploaded.

Meanwhile, the government will allow visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists from September 29 until June 30 next year. Groups of three or more will be able to stay for up to 15 days without a visa. This policy is being reinstated for the first time in eight years since 2017.

Chinese tourists account for the largest share of foreign visitors to Korea. In the first half of this year, out of 8.81 million foreign tourists, 2.52 million (28.6%) were Chinese, ranking first. Last year, 4.91 million out of a total of 16.36 million foreign visitors were Chinese. The industry expects that the implementation of the visa-free policy will make it possible not only to achieve 20 million foreign tourists this year but also to attract up to 30 million visitors.