{
  "id": 18250871,
  "title": "Seoul Hanok Week draws 85,000, up 15% from last year",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/seoul-hanok-week-draws-85-000-up-15-from-last-year",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-05T05:07:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/koreanheritage/20261105/seoul-hanok-week-draws-85000-up-15-from-last-year"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul Hanok Week attracted approximately 85,000 visitors this year, marking a 15% increase compared to 2025, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The annual festival has seen a steady growth in attendance, rising from around 35,000 in 2024 to 74,000 last year. The fourth edition of the festival took place over 10 days, from October 2 to 11, in various hanok neighborhoods across the capital, including Bukchon and Seochon.\n\nThis year's theme centered on hanok in daily life. A total of 180 participants, comprising the Swiss Embassy in Korea, local resident guides, and artists, organized a record 82 programs, representing a 16% increase from the previous year. The city emphasized hands-on programs over traditional sightseeing. A new exhibition showcased six public hanok furnished with modern furniture and household items, drawing approximately 17,000 visitors.\n\nThe guided tours of hanok, typically closed to the public, garnered significant interest with about 900 people applying for the slots, translating to roughly four applicants per spot. These tours marked the 10th anniversary of the city's certification program for hanok preservation.",
  "summary": "This year’s Seoul Hanok Week drew approximately 85,000 visitors — a 15 percent increase from 2025 — highlighting the growing appeal of traditional Korean houses as everyday cultural spaces, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday. Turnout for the annual festival has grown steadily, from about 35,000 in 2024 to 74,000 last year. The fourth edition of the festival ran for 10 days, from Oct.…",
  "key_points": [
    "Seoul Hanok Week drew 85,000 visitors, a 15% increase from last year",
    "Fourth edition featured 82 programs on hanok in daily life",
    "Guided tours of closed hanok attracted 900 applicants"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The growing attendance and expanded programming signal a shift toward experiential cultural tourism that prioritizes hands-on engagement with traditional architecture over passive sightseeing in Seoul's historic neighborhoods.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}