13.62 Million Visitors at Songpa Seokchon Lake During This Year's Cherry Blossom Season

8,628,703 Visitors to Seokchon Lake Area During 13 Days of Cherry Blossom Festival and Blooming
Card Sales Reach 28.6 Billion KRW in 5 Days, Boosting Local Economy in Bangimatgol, Songridan-gil, and Beyond

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) hosted the '2025 Hosu Cherry Blossom Festival,' and it was reported that approximately 8.62 million people visited the area around Seokchon Lake during the 13 days of cherry blossom blooming.

The district conducted a detailed big data analysis in collaboration with SK Telecom and KB Kookmin Bank · KB Kookmin Card, with whom they signed an agreement this year for commercial district analysis. The analysis period was from April 2, when the festival was held, to April 13, when the petals began to fall. The scope of analysis included Seokchon Lake and adjacent commercial districts (Bangimatgol, Songridan-gil, Hosudan-gil) as well as the Lotte World Mall area.

A total of 8,628,703 visitors came to Seokchon Lake and the Lotte area during this spring's cherry blossom blooming period. This number is comparable to the entire population of Seoul (9.5 million), indicating that Songpa attracted a similar number of visitors.

Even when considering only the pure Seokchon Lake area (Bangimatgol, Songridan-gil, Hosudan-gil), excluding the Lotte area, the total number of visitors was 4,131,075. Compared to last year's cherry blossom blooming period (March 27 to April 14), when 2.6 million people visited, this represents a 58.9% increase.

Notably, the district analyzed the local commercial districts for the first time during the festival period (April 2 to April 6). Based on KB Kookmin Card sales and considering market share, the analysis estimated that the large influx of visitors had a clear impact on the local economy.

The total sales recorded in the commercial districts adjacent to Seokchon Lake amounted to 28.6 billion KRW. Excluding approximately 19.7 billion KRW from Lotte, the highest sales among local commercial districts were in Bangimatgol, with about 5.03 billion KRW. A 'rotational consumption structure' was prominent, characterized by rapid consumption during short stays, mainly by people in their 20s and 30s. Total sales in Songridan-gil and Hosudan-gil were similar, at approximately 1.91 billion KRW and 1.76 billion KRW respectively, but the consumer demographics differed. Songridan-gil was dominated by the 'trend-leading group' of the MZ generation sensitive to trends, while Hosudan-gil had slightly more visitors in their 30s and 40s and showed a relatively even age distribution.

Foreign visitor inflow was also notable. Among foreigners visiting the Seokchon Lake commercial districts, Japanese tourists were the most numerous at 10,441. Visitors from other Asian countries such as Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Mongolia, and Indonesia also came in steady numbers.

Interestingly, consumption patterns of foreign visitors varied by commercial district. At Seokchon Lake, visitors tended to stay briefly, consume, and move on, confirming the area as an optimal location for experiences and festivals. Bangimatgol, with its dense variety of restaurants, showed a notable multinational inflow, indicating potential for growth as a multicultural tourist destination. Additionally, Songridan-gil was centered on trend consumption, while Hosudan-gil showed a preference for quiet tourism.

The district attributed Seokchon Lake's establishment as a representative tourist destination in Seoul to the recently expanded cultural and artistic infrastructure. In addition to existing facilities such as Seoul Nori Madang, Atelier, and the cultural experimental space Hosu, new facilities have been created including ▲the district-run art museum 'The Gallery Hosu' ▲'Hosugyo Gallery' under the Jamsil Hosugyo Bridge ▲and 'The Sphere,' an advanced media art installation.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, "The three-dimensional transformation of Seokchon Lake, where visitors can enjoy walks and relaxation during the day and art and light at night against a natural backdrop, has led to a tangible increase in visitors. Moving forward, we will continue to develop Seokchon Lake into a cultural space where people can stay and enjoy various experiences throughout the four seasons, enhancing Songpa's brand value and invigorating the local economy."