"Psy's Soak Show" Drives Tourist Influx Synergy... Sokcho Sees 7.5 Billion Won in Daily Spending Boom

23,855 Attend Psy’s Soak Show in Sokcho
88% Non-Local Visitors
"Metropolitan Tourists Drive Local Spending"

It has been revealed that Psy's Soak Show, held in Sokcho, generated an economic impact of over 7.5 billion won in just one day. The geographical advantage of Sokcho, which is close to the Seoul metropolitan area, combined with the popularity of Soak Show as a summer performance, is believed to have maximized the influx of tourists.

Psy's Soak Show held in Sokcho, Gangwon Province. Sokcho City

According to telecommunications and consumption data jointly analyzed by Sokcho City, KT, and Korea University Digital Innovation Research Center on August 20, more than 7.5 billion won was spent in the region on July 26, the day of the Soak Show. Of this, spending by visitors from outside the region accounted for approximately 5.1 billion won, representing 80% of the total.

Sokcho City evaluated the event, stating, "It has clearly demonstrated its value as a tourism content that creates substantial economic impact, beyond being a short-term performance."

88% of Visitors Were Tourists from Other Regions... Most in Their 20s

On the day of the festival, 23,855 people visited the event venue. Of these, visitors from outside the region made up 88%, totaling around 21,000 people. In particular, residents of the Seoul metropolitan area accounted for 66.5% of all non-local visitors.

By age group, visitors in their 20s accounted for the largest share of non-local attendees at 34.3% (about 7,200 people), followed by those in their 30s (about 5,200), 40s (about 3,500), 50s (about 2,300), and teens (about 1,900). There were also around 600 tourists aged 60 and above.

Additionally, 22.26% of non-local tourists stayed for more than 24 hours after the performance. Sokcho City explained, "Many tourists enjoyed overnight stays," adding, "This demonstrates the formation of a consumption structure based on long-term stays and accommodation."

Psy's Soak Show held in Sokcho, Gangwon Province. Sokcho City

Sokcho City confirmed that a total of 7.5 billion won was spent on the day of the performance. This marks a surge of more than 23% compared to the previous week's 6 billion won. Notably, among tourists who contributed to the increase in local spending, most of the top 20 local governments were from Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon. This means that the spending by tourists from the metropolitan area directly benefited Sokcho's local businesses.

The analysis confirmed that large-scale performances attract tourists from the metropolitan area and drive spending in local markets. The city views Psy's Soak Show in Sokcho as a case that has injected real vitality into the local economy, and plans to actively reflect these findings in future festival management strategies and tourism policies.

Lee Byungseon, Mayor of Sokcho, stated, "Once again, we have confirmed that large-scale performances held in Sokcho not only attract local citizens but also generate nationwide interest," adding, "We will continue to build a sustainable city brand through tourism policies that highlight Sokcho's unique charm and quality."

Psy's Soak Show is a concert with the concept of beating the heat by drenching the audience with water. Alongside Water Bomb and Songkran, it is considered one of the top three summer festivals. It has long been the most popular concert that comes to mind during the summer season.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.