Looking back at 2022, the airways closed by COVID-19 reopened and travelers were once again able to venture across borders. Likewise, many have visited VISITKOREA in anticipation while planning their trip to Korea. Read on to see VISITKOREA contents that were the most popular among our visitors!

TOP 5 VK Travel Columns with the Highest View Counts

* Based on English VISITKOREA contents.

1. Explore Ikseon-dong, a Hidden Treasure in the Bustling City

Among VISITKOREA’s articles from 2022, introduction to Ikseon-dong in Seoul ranked number one with the most views! Ikseon-dong is a neighborhood that beautifully blends the old with the new, attracting many locals and international visitors with its “newtro” (combination of words “new” and “retro”) charms. This column offers a guide to exploring Ikseon-dong over a half-day course.

2. Fall and Winter Festivals

Despite efforts to keep the excitement going during the pandemic, no online festival can beat the enthusiasm at the festival grounds. Fall and winter festivals columns have received much attention in anticipation of their comeback as many festivals were either canceled or held online in the past couple of years.

3. Busan and the City’s New Attractions

Several new attractions have opened across the country despite having the borders closed to international travelers. The columns listed below introduce new tourist attractions to take note of when planning your trip to Korea!

4. Safe Travels Destinations in Korea

Due to the unprecedented pandemic, people all over the world faced restrictions not only in travels, but also in overall social activities. This led to the rise of contact-free services even in the tourism industry, giving light to outdoor attractions, less populated tourist sites, and hidden gems in rural regions.

5. All Eyes on Hallyu

The wave of hallyu was fierce as ever in 2022. With Korean dramas, movies, and music topping the charts, the overall global interests toward Korean pop culture as well as beauty and food trends are at an all-time high. Here is a list of VK’s columns that show a glimpse of Korea’s popular culture.

TOP 5 Attractions with the Most Page Views

The top five attractions that were viewed the most in 2022 all have one thing in common – Seoul, Korea’s capital and one of the fastest changing cities in the world! All of these attractions represent Seoul in its own way, whether it’d be by showing traditional charms or creating excellent backdrops for photos.

1. Gyeongbokgung Palace

2. Bukchon Hanok Village

3. Insa-dong

4. Dongdaemun Design Plaza

5. Namsan Seoul Tower

The Most Searched Keywords in 2022 by Language

#Festival (English)
The number one keyword among English-speaking visitors is “festival.” This result seems to reflect the anticipation and excitement towards annual festivals that are returning after their 2- to 3-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

#K-pop (Japanese)
The Japanese-speaking audience has shown great interest toward “K-pop.” Many 4th generation girl groups made a breakthrough in the year 2022. Needless to say, K-pop fans in Japan reveled in music and activities by groups like AESPA, IVE, New Jeans, and LE SSERAFIM, to name a few.

#Resorts (Chinese)
A major market in the tourism sector, Chinese tourists and other Chinese-speaking travelers seemed to be interested in making the best out of their vacation by looking for resorts that offer excellent services and a wide variety of amenities.

#Jeju (French)
Jeju Island, Korea’s southernmost island, is a vacation destination on its own. The island’s mystic Hallasan Mountain and the emerald waters seem to have grabbed the attention of French travelers.

#COEX (German)
COEX is a convention center that is always bustling with tourists due to entertaining and convenient amenities like a mega shopping mall, a city airport, and an aquarium. A place where one can catch up on Korea’ current trends, COEX was the most searched keyword in our German VISITKOREA website.

What waits ahead for Korea in 2023? Stay tuned with VISITKOREA to see more of what Korea has to offer, ranging from vibrant culture to charming and exciting attractions!

* This column was last updated in January 2023, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details before visiting.