{
  "id": 10386093,
  "title": "Dongdaemun sees overseas tourist spending surge during fall festival",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/dongdaemun-sees-overseas-tourist-spending-surge-during-fall-festival",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-28T07:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/people-events/20260928/dongdaemun-sees-overseas-tourist-spending-surge-during-fall-festival"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Over 700,000 people flocked to Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) over the course of a month, marking a significant surge in overseas tourist spending during the fall festival known as Seoul Light DDP. The Seoul Design Foundation reported that an average of 63,683 visitors per day attended the event, with the majority congregating in DDP’s Eoullim Square and Miraero Bridge during evening media art shows. The festival’s offerings of food, shopping, and entertainment encouraged visitors to stay in the area after the performances.\n\nSeoul’s subway traffic at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station increased by 8.34 percent during the festival, with a total of 961,725 boardings and exits recorded compared to 887,702 during the same period in August. Evening traffic from 6 p.m. to midnight saw a 15.1 percent increase, while traffic between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. jumped by 21.9 percent, peaking around 8 p.m.\n\nThe DDP Design Store reported sales that were more than double its previous month’s figures during the festival. A satisfaction survey of 2,122 visitors revealed that 94.7 percent were satisfied or very satisfied with their experience at the festival.",
  "summary": "Over 11 radiant nights this month, more than 700,000 people converged on Seoul’s aluminum-sheathed Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) for Seoul Light DDP, a high-tech projection that flooded the area with media art after dark. The Seoul Design Foundation said Monday that 700,512 people visited DDP from Sept. 3-13, an average of 63,683 visitors per day. Visitors filled DDP’s Eoullim Square and Miraero…",
  "key_points": [
    "Over 700,000 overseas tourists visited Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza in a month.",
    "Evening traffic to Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station increased by 21.9 percent.",
    "94.7 percent of festival visitors were satisfied with their experience."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Dongdaemun sees overseas tourist spending surge during fall festival",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/dongdaemun-sees-overseas-tourist-spending-surge-during-fall-festival-10389807",
        "published": "2026-09-28T07:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}