Bulguksa Tops Visitor Preferences in Gyeongju... Experiential Attractions for 20s and 30s, Culture and History for 40s and Older

Bulguksa Temple Tops All Age Groups...
Clear Generational Preferences for Gyeongju World and the National Gyeongju Museum
Tourism Preferences Shift After APEC...
Traditional Heritage and Leisure Content Grow Together

Among visitors to Gyeongju, Bulguksa Temple maintained its position as the most popular destination across all age groups, but preferences diverged significantly: those in their 20s and 30s favored Gyeongju World, while those in their 40s and older showed a clear preference for the National Gyeongju Museum.

According to the city of Gyeongju on November 18, this analysis is based on statistics from the “Popular Tourist Destinations” report by the Korea Tourism Data Lab, which utilizes Tmap Mobility navigation search data. The findings were calculated by aggregating search rates by age group across five categories: culture, nature, history, leisure, and experiences.

National Gyeongju Museum Exterior View

The data compared annual figures from January to December 2024 with cumulative data from January to October 2025. Bulguksa Temple ranked first in both periods, with 20.2% and 19.9% of searches, respectively, maintaining its top position.

There were also notable changes among the second most popular destinations.

The National Gyeongju Museum, which ranked fifth last year with 9.7%, jumped to second place this year with 11.8%.

In contrast, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, which was second last year with 13%, fell to fourth place this year with 11.1%.

The surge in visits to the National Gyeongju Museum is attributed to its symbolic status as the venue for last year’s APEC Korea-U.S. and Korea-China summits, as well as the popularity of the special exhibition “Silla Gold Crowns: Power and Prestige,” which showcased all six Silla gold crowns together for the first time.

Preferences by generation were also clearly divided.

Among those in their 20s, Gyeongju World surged from 21.1% to 27.7%, firmly securing the top spot.

Gyeongju World led leisure demand among people in their 20s by featuring distinctive rides such as the vertical-drop roller coaster “Draken,” “Time Rider,” and “Skoll & Hati.”

For those in their 30s, preference for Gyeongju World also rose from 12.4% to 15.4%, establishing it as a family-oriented, experiential tourist destination.

In contrast, among those in their 40s and older, historical and cultural sites such as Bulguksa Temple, the National Gyeongju Museum, and Seokguram Grotto remained dominant.

Notably, preference for the National Gyeongju Museum among those in their 40s increased from 12.4% to 14.6%, highlighting the growing demand for culture and exhibition-focused tourism.

The city of Gyeongju assessed that, following the APEC summit, international interest continues, resulting in a balanced consumption of both traditional heritage and leisure content.

The expansion of both traditional heritage site visits and experiential content is broadening the base of tourism in the city.

Joo Nakyoung, Mayor of Gyeongju, stated, “The generational characteristics of visitors to Gyeongju are becoming increasingly distinct. We will further develop Gyeongju as a cultural tourism city that everyone wants to visit by harmoniously expanding both the depth of traditional heritage and modern experiential content.”

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