Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon recently visited Kuala Lumpur to promote Seoul as a global hub of K-culture, engaging with local fans and travellers at the "Seoul My Soul" event held at Fahrenheit88 shopping mall. The event, which attracted over 1,000 Malaysian visitors, highlighted Seoul's lifestyle appeal through K-pop, beauty, and food experiences, targeting the MZ generation.
The "Seouliday" programme, hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organisation, recreated a Seoul-style holiday experience. It featured experiential zones and performances, including a K-beauty show, K-food tastings, and a Taekwondo performance. Mayor Oh made a surprise appearance at the Seoul Goods Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which was met with enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
Malaysian tourist arrivals to Seoul have recovered to over 90% of pre-COVID levels, with 215,000 visitors recorded this year as of September. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to strengthen its tourism marketing efforts in Malaysia, a key market with a strong interest in Hallyu culture. According to a survey by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, over 80% of Malaysian respondents have favourable views of Korean popular culture.
Mayor Oh also met with members of AGIKO, Malaysia's largest Korean-study alumni association, to discuss ongoing exchange and cooperation. He emphasised the importance of the alumni as goodwill ambassadors and expressed pride in their contributions to Malaysian society. The Seoul Metropolitan Government aims to continue building its global human network through collaboration with alumni communities worldwide.
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