• A survey was conducted of 332 influencers from 52 countries on their perceptions of Seoul and SEOULCon.
• Korean influencers think of Seoul as a city full of things to enjoy, while foreign influencers associate the city with beauty and fashion.

“Beauty and fashion” is the theme most foreign influencers would choose when creating content about Seoul and ranked first when asked what kind of images come to mind when they think of Seoul.

The Seoul Business Agency (SBA) conducted a survey of 332 influencers from 52 countries (168 Korean and 164 foreign influencers) who participated in SEOULCon, the world’s first and largest influencer expo, and analyzed their various perceptions and opinions about Seoul and SEOULCon.

Asking questions about ▲ images of Seoul, ▲ places of interest in Seoul, and ▲ content about Seoul they want to introduce, the survey aimed to understand the global city of Seoul from the perspective of domestic and international influencers. It was conducted through online and on-site one-on-one interviews with influencers who attended SEOULCon from December 23 (Sat) to 31 (Sun), 2023.

The images they associate with Seoul varied between Korean and foreign influencers. Korean influencers answered with “festivals, entertainment, and other things to enjoy (48.8%),” “Hallyu culture content (48.2%),” “facilities (31.5%),” “cultural heritage sites, urban landscapes, and other things to see (31%),” and “food (30.4%).” Meanwhile, for foreign influencers, “beauty and fashion (57.3%)” ranked first, followed by “food (40.2%),” “Hallyu culture content (38.4%),” “shopping (25.6%),” and “festivals, entertainment, and other things to enjoy (22.6%),” which come to their mind when they think of Seoul.

This perception is also found in how they wanted to introduce Seoul to their followers. Korean influencers wanted to make content about “Hallyu culture content (54.8%)” and “festivals, entertainment, and other things to enjoy (45.8%),” while their foreign counterparts preferred to make content about “beauty and fashion (56.1%)” and “food (42.1%).”

Korean and foreign influencers also differ in the kind of places in Seoul they are interested in. Both chose “places popular for young people such as Seongsu and Hongdae” and “places to experience traditional Korean culture such as Insa-dong and Bukchon Hanok Village.” However, foreign influencers additionally chose “places to enjoy shopping and beauty (12.8%),” indicating that Seoul is globally known for beauty and fashion.

Furthermore, foreign influencers chose “shopping (46.2%)” and “food (45.6%)” as the most satisfying aspects of their visit to Seoul, showing a strong interest in “K-food” as well as “beauty and fashion.”

The most popular foods among foreign influencers include tteokbokki (13.2%), bibimbap (12.6%), grilled pork belly (10.1%), Korean fried chicken (8.2%), bulgogi (6.9%), and galbi (6.9%).