Chinese tourists breathe new life into Myeong-dong shopping district

Seoul's popular shopping district, Myeong-dong, is bustling again after China lifted restrictions on group tours to South Korea last week. Familiar scenes have returned to the neighborhood, with Chinese tourists filling their bags with Korean beauty products.

It was easy to see the bustle in Myeong-dong on a Friday, as crowds of foreign tourists, many from China, flocked to stores and used smartphones to chat with sales staff.

Many Chinese tourists have returned to Myeong-dong Street, Seoul, South Korea

“I made a shopping list of Korean beauty products after reading reviews on social media. I heard that masks and lotions here are not too expensive and the quality is good,” a young Chinese tourist told The Korea Times at a cosmetics store in Myeong-dong, with her shopping bag already filled with cosmetics and masks. She said she would buy more clothes, accessories and visit Korean cafes.

Now, some stores in Myeong-dong have put up welcome signs in Chinese and are preparing their staff for the return of Chinese tourists. A cosmetics store employee surnamed Jung said, "Although we haven't seen many Chinese tourists yet, we hope to see more in the near future. A group of Chinese tourists who visited the store yesterday bought a lot of masks and skin creams."

Also expressing optimism, another cosmetics store manager, surnamed Kim, said merchants in the neighborhood believe that an increase in Chinese tourists is just "a matter of time", after restrictions on group tours are lifted: "We welcome all tourists, but with the return of Chinese group tours, we expect sales to increase. That's why we hire staff who can speak Chinese so we can better serve Chinese tourists."

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced a series of programs to attract Chinese tourists, including expanding mobile payment systems such as Alipay and WeChatPay at stores and restaurants to facilitate Chinese visitors.

A store in Myeong-dong, Seoul, South Korea

A special welcome week for Chinese tourists will also be held by the Seoul government, the first since 2019. The week will run from September 29 to October 6, coinciding with China's biggest holiday, with many Chinese expected to visit South Korea. There will be events such as drone shows over the Han River, fireworks festivals and booths and events at Seoul's airports and tourist spots, including Myeong-dong and the Gwanghwamun area.

The Seoul government also requires tourist centers in the area such as Jongno, Dongdaemun, Itaewon, Hongdae, Gangnam, Jamsil and Myeong-dong to publicly post prices at stores to prevent price gouging of tourists.

According to VOV