BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

Source: PR Newswire · SEMAS · View original release

Taiwanese visitors emerge as leading customers of Korea’s local commercial districts

SEOGWIPO, South Korea, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Taiwanese tourists have emerged as the main foreign customers of Korea’s local commercial districts, drawing considerable attention.

Just as Taiwan’s Shilin Night Market offers visitors a vibrant mix of local food, shopping, and everyday life, Jeju’s traditional markets and local shopping streets provide an opportunity to experience the island’s unique culture up close. In particular, Seogwipo’s central shopping district brings together Jeju’s distinctive local cuisine, shops, and cultural and artistic spaces, offering Taiwanese visitors a street-exploring experience that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.

Through the Glocal Commercial District Project, led by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprises and Traditional Markets(SEMAS), regional resources and culture are being turned into new travel content for domestic and international visitors. Glocal districts add global appeal to local character, offering a glimpse of everyday Korean life created together by local merchants and local brands.

According to an analysis of foreign visitor foot traffic in areas selected for this year’s Glocal Commercial District Project, Taiwanese visitors ranked first among six major source countries in Seogwipo Central Commercial District, Daegu Gyodong Commercial District, and Gyeongju Hwangnidan-gil. These findings show that Taiwanese travelers are exploring not only Korea’s well-known tourist attractions but also its local commercial districts.

Among them, the Seogwipo Central Commercial District is an old-downtown commercial area linking Maeil Olle Market and Lee Jung-seob Street. Visitors can enjoy Jeju specialty products and street food at the market, then continue on foot through shops along Jungang-ro and Jungjeong-ro, local brand stores, and a cultural and arts street. Food, shopping, and local culture can all be experienced along the alleys.

The district is also expanding its content so that the old downtown can be enjoyed as a “department store without a roof”. It combines existing traditional markets and shopping streets with Jeju local brands, everyday culture, and other stories unique to the region, and adds participatory attractions such as experiences and pop-up events linked to Hallyu(Korean Wave) content.

Seogwipo Central Commercial District offers Taiwanese tourists seeking everyday Jeju a way to travel through its alleys. From traditional market food to local brand shopping, arts and culture, and Hallyu experiences, visitors can explore Jeju’s old downtown on foot and discover its charm.

SEMAS is a public institution that supports the growth of small businesses and traditional markets and the revitalization of local commercial districts, contributing to Korea’s economic development through a range of support programs.

The Glocal Commercial District Project has also selected Gyeongju Hwangridan-gil, Daegu Gyodong, Gwangju Dongmyeong-dong, Sokcho Seorak Rodeo, and Yeongju Octopus 1955, in addition to the Seogwipo Central Commercial District.