Seoul launches new travel push to attract Japanese men
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Japanese fitness content creator Masso is featured prominently in a promotional poster for “Seoul Quest,” a digital campaign designed by the Seoul Tourism Organization to showcase active tourism, wellness, and local cuisine. Courtesy of Seoul Tourism Organization
Seoul is launching a targeted tourism push aimed at capturing an overlooked demographic in one of its most reliable travel markets: Japanese men.
The Seoul Tourism Organization unveiled “Seoul Quest” on Wednesday, a campaign structured around mission-based travel videos designed to showcase the Korean capital beyond its traditional K-pop and cosmetics appeal. Featuring Japanese fitness influencer Masso, the series blends high-energy urban activities with local culinary experiences to lure a demographic that official statistics show has lagged behind female visitors.
Data from Japan’s Immigration Services Agency and the Korea Tourism Data Lab highlight a stark disparity.
While Japanese men travel abroad in nearly equal numbers to women, they accounted for roughly 30 percent of Japanese arrivals in Korea last year. Municipal officials see significant growth potential in closing that gap, particularly as male arrivals from Japan show signs of accelerating.
“Japan remains a core market with deep familiarity with Seoul, leading us to focus on the relatively underrepresented demand among Japanese male travelers,” said Kim Byung-min, chief executive of the Seoul Tourism Organization.
Rather than relying on conventional promotional tours, the campaign relies on interactive, episodic travel logs.
Across three main themed episodes, Masso tackles distinct challenges throughout the capital. The “Sunset Quest” features a run along the Han River in Seoul’s Yeouido, alongside the city’s new Hangang Bus, followed by sportswear shopping at The Hyundai Seoul and panoramic views from the 63 Sky Picnic observatory.
In “Play & Heal Quest,” the itinerary pivots to high-impact leisure and relaxation in Hongdae, a youth culture hub in western Seoul, featuring live-bullet target shooting, glow-in-the-dark bowling and a traditional Korean head spa session. The final installment, “Night Food Quest,” explores the city’s evening food culture in central Seoul, following Masso through Gwangjang Market in Jongno District for live octopus beef tartare and to the open-air alleys of neighboring Euljiro for grilled pork belly.
The eight-part digital campaign — which includes short-form reels, behind-the-scenes footage and social media challenges — will roll out sequentially across Visit Seoul’s Japanese Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube channels through Nov. 13.
City tourism planners said they hope the interactive format and localized social media strategy will establish Seoul as a versatile destination for solo male travelers seeking active, experiential journeys.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
