Seoul Named No.1 'Favorite City of the Global MZ Generation' for Four Consecutive Years

Selected by Leading U.S. Travel Media
'K-pop Demon Hunters' Craze Boosts Tourism Infrastructure
City Brand Proven... "Strengthening Marketing Efforts"

Seoul has been named the most beloved city by the global MZ generation for four consecutive years. Dublin, Ireland ranked second, followed by Hong Kong in third place and London, UK in fourth. This recognition comes as Seoul has received high praise for its cultural and tourism infrastructure, especially amid the recent global attention brought by the 'K-pop Demon Hunters' phenomenon.

On August 20, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization announced that Seoul received the Favorite Worldwide City award for the MZ generation at the 2025 The Trazees Awards.

Seoul has been named the most loved city by the global MZ generation for four consecutive years at the The Trages Award. The photo shows the night view of Seoul. Photo by Seoul City

Celebrating its 11th year, The Trazees Awards is an event organized by FXExpress Publications, the parent company of the world-renowned MICE media outlet Global Traveler. Each year, winners in categories such as destinations, hotels, and tourist cities are selected through votes by readers of the global travel media Trazee Travel. This year, a total of 800,482 people participated in the voting.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization cited several reasons for being chosen as the global MZ generation's favorite city for four consecutive years: the global spread of K-culture, the city's unique blend of tradition and modernity, digital-based smart tourism infrastructure, and Seoul's status as a leading global MICE city. The city stated that it will continue to discover new urban tourism content and expand marketing efforts to promote Seoul's appeal, aiming to provide sophisticated and attractive travel experiences that meet the desires of the MZ generation.

Meanwhile, Seoul has been recognized as a world-class tourism and MICE city, ranking first in TripAdvisor's 'Best City for Solo Travelers in 2025', being selected as Global Traveler's 'Best MICE City' for ten consecutive years, and ranking first in Asia and third globally for the number of international conferences held, according to the Union of International Associations (UIA). In addition, Seoul achieved its highest-ever rankings as the top city for university students to live in and eighth best city in the world for startups.

Gil Giyeon, CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization, stated, "The global influence of Korean Wave culture, including K-pop, and Seoul's diverse and abundant tourism and cultural content have strongly appealed to the North American MZ generation. We will continue our efforts to ensure that Seoul, a global city where tourism, business, culture, and the arts coexist, remains beloved by people around the world."

Gu Jongwon, Director-General of Tourism and Sports at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, "Recently, through 'K-pop Demon Hunters,' Seoul has drawn attention not only for its tourism infrastructure and content, but also for its trendy lifestyle. Achieving the top spot for four consecutive years proves Seoul's brand value and competitiveness as a global tourism and cultural city, and we will continue to provide multifaceted support to further develop Seoul into an even more attractive city."