The No.1 Favorite Dining Area in Mapo-gu Chosen by People in Their 20s?

Capturing Trend-Sensitive Jalpase Generation, Highest Increase in Dining Out by Non-Locals Compared to 2019
(Generation Z + Alpha Generation)... Significant Rise in Red Road Tourists Boosts Nearby Commercial Sales

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District (holding the microphone on the right), is communicating with visitors who came to Red Road.

Among the various districts of Seoul, Mapo-gu (District Mayor Park Gang-su) has emerged as a new hub for consumption trends, establishing itself as the "most attractive autonomous district."

In particular, the "Red Road," which includes Hongdae, Sangsu, and Hapjeong, is gaining attention as the most popular dining area among consumers in their 20s.

According to an analysis by Shinhan Card Big Data Research Institute, Mapo-gu ranked first in dining usage among people in their 20s this year. The increase in the proportion of dining usage by non-residents in 2024 compared to 2019 was also the highest in Mapo-gu (2.7%).

The number of tourists visiting the Hongdae Red Road has also significantly increased.

According to data from the Korea Tourism Data Lab, the number of foreign visitors to the Seogyo-dong area before the creation of the Red Road in March 2023 was in the 30,000 range, but after its establishment in November 2023, it rose to 130,000, more than quadrupling.

In June 2024, 180,000 foreigners visited the area, solidifying the Red Road as a representative tourist destination in Seoul.

Along with this, the popularity of the Red Road commercial district continues to rise steadily. According to Olive Young, six stores in the Hongdae area recorded a 409% increase in sales during the Super Week period from late April to early May 2024 compared to the previous year.

A district official analyzed, "The commercial district around Hongdae expanded to Yeonnam, Sangsu, and Hapjeong due to the creation of the Red Road, enlarging the commercial area, and this is the result of concentrated cultural and artistic events and festivals."

Based on these achievements, Mapo-gu received the highest grade in the Seoul City Tourism Special Zone revitalization evaluation. This recognition goes beyond a simple increase in visitor numbers and comprehensively acknowledges the resourcefulness, convenience, effectiveness, and operational activation of the tourism special zone.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, "As Mapo-gu is establishing itself as Seoul’s representative hip area, we will continue to develop it so that Mapo-gu can become a beloved tourist city not only in Seoul but worldwide."