HOW ARE CITIES MANAGING CULTURAL TOURISM IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE?
Social media is now a major driving force behind tourism, with 75% of travellers citing it as their primary source of inspiration. As bucket-list itineraries circulate online, cities see visitors concentrate in the same handful of neighbourhoods and cultural sites..
Culture After Dark: Three Ways Cities Are Supercharging the Night-Time Economy
Cities from Guangzhou to Toronto are increasingly placing culture at the heart of their night-time economies. Our 5th Edition World Cities Culture Report shows that what was once an.
How Seoul’s Outdoor Libraries redefined public reading spaces across the city
Seoul’s Outdoor Library initiative, launched in 2022, redefines urban public spaces by transforming them into open-air reading environments. With installations in Seoul Plaza, Gwanghwamun Square, and Cheonggyecheon Stream, the.
Youth Culture Pass: How Seoul expanded access to the arts for young people
Launched in 2023, the Seoul Youth Culture Pass provides KRW 200,000 annually to youth aged 20–23, enabling them to attend theatre, exhibitions, and more. The programme supported over 32,000.
Art Festival_Seoul: How Seoul unified seven seasonal festivals into a cohesive annual programme
Art Festival_Seoul merges seven arts festivals into a continuous seasonal format across the year, hosted in central public spaces like Nodeul Island and Seoul Plaza. With expanded programming and.
Creative resilience: Seoul’s initiatives to support artists during the pandemic
The ‘Artist Life Stabilization Fund Support’ was launched in 2021 and provided one million won in annual support to all artists living in Seoul who earned below a certain.
Soothing with culture: Seoul’s remedy for ‘COVID blue’
To console those tired of social distancing, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched Soothing with Culture, a programme of digital and limited in-person performances
TRENDS
Effects of Pandemic
The damage suffered by creative businesses in Korea as a result of Covid-19 was significant, amounting to 17% of sector turnover and with 15% of creative.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Opened in September 2022, the Namsan Creative Centre is a space for the development of theatre and dance productions. The studio is equipped with an XR and special effects.
Seoul’s open-air museum: a quest to inspire deeper cultural encounters
A public citizen-led art programme creating cultural spaces in Seoul's public places, with the aspiration of turning the city into an open-air art museum.