The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization appointed KARINA and WINTER of aespa alongside the group RIIZE as honorary ambassadors for Seoul tourism on September 23, 2026, according to official announcements. The appointment marks the launch of the city’s new global tourism campaign titled “Absolutely in Seoul.”
The “Seoul Syndrome” Concept and Campaign Launch
Built around the core message “Where the unexpected becomes the everyday,” the campaign introduces an original concept known as the “Seoul Syndrome.” According to the Seoul Tourism Organization, the term describes the lingering sense of longing travelers feel after leaving the city, capturing a desire to return to the everyday moments, culture, and experiences discovered during their stay.
The campaign highlights various facets of the city, including the Hangang River, local alleyways, cafes, food, shopping, and night views. In the promotional films, artists KARINA, WINTER, and RIIZE portray modern-day Sinseon, mystical beings from Korean tradition. According to campaign materials, the narratives begin with news coverage reporting the global spread of the “Seoul Syndrome,” followed by a fantasy sequence where figures from a centuries-old painting step into present-day Seoul to showcase the city’s food, beauty, shopping, and nightlife.
Global Promotions and Digital Events
The campaign rollout features a sequence of nine films released on the Visit Seoul YouTube channel and social media starting September 23, 2026. Alongside the video releases, the Seoul Tourism Organization is hosting interactive online events, including a comment-sharing platform and a voice quiz titled “Guess the Seoul Night Spot.” In the quiz, fans listen to audio clips of the artists speaking simultaneously to identify mentioned Seoul nighttime locations.
Offline activations run parallel to the digital rollout. Visitors who complete missions at designated locations—including five Seoul Tourist Information Centers and two Seoul My Soul Shops—receive campaign-specific merchandise, such as artist posters and photocards. Detailed event schedules are made available on Visit Seoul’s social media channels in mid-October.
International promotion scales up in October, with campaign films scheduled to run on outdoor screens in major global hubs, including Times Square in New York, and broadcast on CNN across more than 133 countries.
Official Perspectives on Global K-Culture Integration
“This campaign is about connecting the global influence of K-culture with Seoul’s diverse tourism experiences, so that people around the world will want to experience the city for themselves,” said Kim Byung-min, President and CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization, in a statement released by Business Wire. “We will showcase Seoul’s many attractions, by day and by night, and strengthen its position as a global destination that keeps travelers coming back.”
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