Number of visitors to Gwanghwamun Square nearly doubles on year

The number of visitors to central Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square has nearly doubled from a year earlier, following a rise in domestic and international tourists visiting Korea’s capital city.

A total of 1.35 million people visited Gwanghwamun Square between May 13 and Saturday, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday. The figure marks a 90 percent increase, or 636,600 visitors, from the same period last year, when 710,750 people visited the square.

The figures were calculated based on Seoul’s real-time urban data platform, which integrates telecommunications information from SK Telecom and KT, as well as T-money public transportation data. The system allows real-time analysis of floating population figures and commercial sales at 121 major locations across Seoul, including Gwanghwamun Square, Gyeongbok Palace and Myeongdong.

According to the Seoul city government, the square has continued to attract domestic and overseas tourists after gaining global attention through BTS’s comeback performance there in March.

The city also cited the 2026 Seoul Outdoor Library event, which currently operates every Friday, Saturday and Sunday; media facades; and the Garden of Gratitude, which opened on May 12, as reasons for the increase in visitors.

The Garden of Gratitude is an installation piece that commemorates countries that participated in the 1950-53 Korean War and symbolizes Korea’s transformation from a country that once received aid into one that now gives back to the international community. Light installations have been added to the upper part of the structure, with nighttime light shows operating from 8 p.m. to midnight.

The underground Freedom Hall also allows visitors to experience the dedication of Korean War participant nations, the meaning of international solidarity and Korea’s growth through media art and interactive exhibits.

“Gwanghwamun Square is an iconic landmark of Seoul chosen by both citizens and foreign visitors and serves as the heart of the city,” the Seoul Metropolitan Government said. “We will continue developing it into a place of pride and relaxation for citizens and a space that conveys the values of freedom and peace to foreign visitors.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY KIM MIN-WOOK [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]