The U.S. travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler on Oct. 8 placed Seoul atop the list of "Best Big Cities" in the publication's Readers' Choice Awards. Shown is a woman on Dec. 10, 2025, snapping an alleyway in the Euljiro area of the capital's Jung-gu District. (Korea.net DB)

By Jeong Euiseok

Seoul is ranked atop the "Best Big Cities" list of a leading American travel magazine.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Oct. 8 said the capital won the honor as part of the Readers' Choice Awards of the New York-based Conde Nast Traveler.

Seoul jumped four spots from fifth last year to surpass global tourist hubs such as Tokyo (second), Phnom Penh, Cambodia (third), Shanghai (fourth) and Sydney (fifth).

This year's awards were based on 798,867 reader votes in all categories including cities, hotels and resorts.

"Through global obsession with South Korea's cultural and tangible exports (K-pop, K-beauty and K-dramas) has helped transformed Seoul into one of the world's most popular leisure destinations, you should know that beneath these-of-the-moment pleasures is a layered, complex history stretching more than 2,000 years," the magazine said.

"As a global hub of beauty, wellness, arts, and cuisine, Seoul is a capital with something for every traveler."

In August, Seoul was also named the "Favorite Worldwide City for Global MZ Generations," referring to millennials and Gen Z, in a survey by the American travel media outlet Trazee Travel. The British culture and travel site Time Out last month named the city's Jongno 3-ga area as this year's "World's Coolest Neighborhoods." 

The city government will further diversify its tourism offerings based on the city's traits, turning daily charms such as alleys, markets, culinary experiences and cultural spaces into tourism resources. It will also showcase a range of experiences exclusive to Seoul like traditional cultural activities and nighttime programs.

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