Foreign tourists and residents participating in the Seoul Hiking Week program pose at the summit of Mount Surak, April 5. Korea Times photo by Moon Ji-su
Marlon stood at the trailhead of Mount Surak on April 5, fully equipped and eager to introduce his friend to the steep trails of the South Korean capital.
The 32-year-old from the Philippines, who works at a food company in Icheon, a city about an hour from Seoul, had already scaled Mount Dobong, Mount Bukhan and Mount Acha before bringing 32-year-old Jannet along for the ascent.
"It feels like just yesterday I went on my first hike, and now I'm the one bringing a friend," Marlon said, praising the sunrises and sunsets he witnessed from the peaks.
His enthusiasm highlights a broader shift in international tourism. Foreign visitors are increasingly trading palace visits and other well-known Seoul landmarks for mountain trails, fueling a trend known as "K-hiking."
The Korea National Park Service reported that more than 2 million foreigners visited national parks last year, accounting for nearly 5 percent of the roughly 43.3 million total visitors. Short-term tourists drove the influx, making up more than half of the international hikers.
Mount Halla led the trend, drawing more than 300,000 international hikers, while Mount Seorak and Mount Bukhan followed with roughly 170,000 and 135,000 visitors, respectively.
As interest grew, the Seoul Tourism Organization launched Seoul Hiking Week. The initiative offered 12 guided sessions across Mount Surak, Mount Bukhan and Mount Gwanak over three weeks starting March 23, drawing 323 foreign participants.
Social media drives much of the international interest. Viyanka, a 31-year-old tourist from India, said an online video convinced her to join the trek.
"Instead of places I've already been, like Namsan or the Han River, I wanted to experience natural scenery, so I joined after watching a hiking video," she said.
Source: Korea Times News
