“510,000 Visit Hansung Baekje Cultural Festival, Generating 6.4 Billion Won in Economic Impact”

46% of Visitors in Their 20s and 30s, the Largest Demographic
A Fusion of Tradition and K-pop Draws Global Tourists
Mayor Seo Gangseok: "We Will Promote the City's Cultural and Artistic Appeal"

Songpa District in Seoul (District Mayor Seo Gangseok) announced on October 22 that approximately 510,000 people attended the 25th Hansung Baekje Cultural Festival, held from September 26 to 28, generating an estimated 6.4 billion won (approximately 6.4 billion KRW) in economic impact for the local community. This analysis was based on SK Telecom's floating population data and KB Kookmin Card consumption data.

2025 Hansung Baekje Cultural Festival, Maori Traditional Performance Haka. Provided by Songpa-gu.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Hansung Baekje Cultural Festival was held under the theme “The Power of Culture Moving Forward Together.” The venue was moved from the traditional Peace Square to the 88 Lawn Plaza, offering a larger space and a grander stage for a variety of performances. The festival featured a harmonious blend of Korean traditional music, media art, and K-pop concerts, presenting content that bridged tradition and modernity and received an enthusiastic response from attendees.

During the three-day festival, a total of 509,897 people visited the event site, and the overall floating population in the Jamsil Tourism Special Zone was recorded at 681,643. There were 33,547 foreign visitors, of which 8,909 were foreign residents in Korea and 24,648 were overseas visitors.

The top countries of origin for visitors were Japan (5,812), China (2,494), the United States (2,012), Taiwan (1,970), and Hong Kong (1,341). In total, visitors from 79 countries-including Slovenia, Morocco, Spain, and Iceland-attended, giving the festival an international atmosphere.

By age group, people in their 20s and 30s accounted for 118,597 and 103,210 attendees, respectively, making up 46% of the total visitors. The festival’s youthful programs, which combined traditional culture with K-pop and media art, were analyzed to have particularly attracted the Millennial and Gen Z demographic.

The combined sales of local businesses in the Bangi-dong, Songridan-gil, and Seokchon Lake areas reached 6.4 billion won. Of this, domestic sales accounted for 5.883 billion won, while foreign visitor sales totaled 505 million won. The active patronage of restaurants, cafes, and shops by festival attendees is credited with boosting the local economy.

Building on the festival’s momentum, Songpa District will host “Autumn and Winter by the Lake, and Luminarie” around Seokchon Lake from October 31, 2025, to February 28, 2026. The event will feature romantic golden and pink lights illuminating the autumn and winter nights, offering citizens a new source of enjoyment.

Seo Gangseok, Mayor of Songpa District, stated, “The Hansung Baekje Cultural Festival has grown beyond the succession of traditional culture to become a global tourism festival. Through seasonal festivals such as the upcoming Luminarie, we will continue to showcase the charm of Songpa as a city of culture and the arts to the world.”

Songpa District announced that a total of 510,000 people visited during this year's Hansung Baekje Cultural Festival. Provided by Songpa District.

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