• Mayor Oh engages local fans and travelers at "Seoul My Soul in Kuala Lumpur"
• K-pop, beauty, and food experiences highlight Seoul's lifestyle appeal for the MZ generation
• Malaysian tourist arrivals recover to over 90% of pre-COVID levels as Seoul expands regional marketing"
• Mayor meets Malaysian alumni of Korean universities and emphasizes ongoing exchange and global cooperation

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- After completing his visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon traveled to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday the 7th to attend "Seoul My Soul in Kuala Lumpur" a premier tourism-promotion event held at Fahrenheit88 shopping mall in the city center. More than 1,000 Malaysian visitors, including K-culture fans, participated.

Mayor Oh also met with members of AGIKO, Malaysia's largest Korean-study alumni association, expressing gratitude for their long-standing role as goodwill ambassadors who have deepened cultural and academic ties between the two countries.

<"Seouliday," a Seoul-Style Holiday Enjoyed in Malaysia — Mayor Oh's Surprise Appearance at the Seoul Goods Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony >

Hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization (CEO: Gil Ki-yeon), the "Seouliday" program recreated the experience of enjoying a holiday like a Seoulite, showcasing Seoul's strengths as a global cultural hub in a single venue designed for the MZ generation.

Experiential zones and dynamic performances reflecting Seoul's lifestyle, including the K-Beauty Zone, K-Food Zone, Seoul Brand Photo Zone, K-Tigers Taekwondo Performance, celebratory stages by local cover dance teams and social media participation events, drew enthusiastic visitors throughout the day.

Large crowds gathered for a K-makeup show featuring local influencers. The photo booths themed around Seoul's official character Haechi and Seoul tourism promotional model Jennie (JENNIE), as well as K-snack tastings and giveaways sponsored by Nongshim Co., Ltd., were met with enthusiastic responses and quickly ran out.

At the official ceremony at 4:00 p.m. (local time), Mayor Oh made a surprise appearance and took part in the Seoul Goods Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. As images of iconic Seoul landmarks  such as Namsan Seoul Tower and the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) appeared through films and animation, the local audience responded with loud cheers.

The festive atmosphere continued with a Seoul tourism prize drawing and a "K-pop point choreography" session where participants learned dance moves.

In connection with the event, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has been operating a Haechi photo zone since last month and running a "Send a Christmas Card from Seoul Landmarks" campaign for Kuala Lumpur citizens who enthusiastically celebrate Christmas.

Demand for free independent travel (FIT) among Malaysian families and friend groups has been rising alongside the spread of Hallyu culture. Malaysian arrivals to Korea reached 215,000 this year (as of September), marking an 84% recovery of pre-COVID levels. Seoul plans to strengthen localized tourism-marketing efforts.

According to last year's Overseas Hallyu Survey conducted by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), more than 80% of Malaysian respondents expressed favorable views of Korean popular culture. Their weekly consumption of K-content averaged 4.6 hours, exceeding the Asia-regional average of 3.8 hours. K-content and Seoul-related hashtags (#Seoul, #VisitSeoul, etc.) are rapidly increasing on social media platforms such as Reels and short-form videos.

Gil Ki-yeon, CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization, stated, "Malaysia is a key market with strong interest in Hallyu and growing demand for independent travel. We hope that this 'Seouliday' event allowed visitors to experience the unique charm of Seoul firsthand." He added, "We will continue to strengthen experiential marketing that communicates directly with local audiences to enhance Seoul's tourism competitiveness."

Prior to the event, at 1:00 p.m. (local time), Mayor Oh attended a meeting with the Malaysian Korean-study alumni association. AGIKO (Alumni Society of Korean Institutional Graduates), a professional talent network of around 2,900 alumni who earned degrees from Korean universities and graduate schools, has served as a bridge for cooperation between Korea and Malaysia across multiple fields since its establishment in 2014.

The meeting brought together Mayor Oh and the Seoul delegation with around 70 AGIKO members to foster mutual exchange and explore directions for future cooperation. Alumni shared how their time in Seoul influenced their career choices and personal growth, expressing hopes that ongoing engagement with Seoul would further invigorate the bilateral human network.

Building on this meeting, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to further solidify its ties with Korean-study alumni in Malaysia and continue collaborating with alumni communities worldwide to expand its global human network.

In his remarks, Mayor Oh said, "Though you live far from Seoul, you are valued members of our extended Seoul community and an enduring bridge between our two countries. I am deeply proud that the experiences and knowledge you gained in Seoul are now shining throughout Malaysian society." He added, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government will continue to cherish its bonds with alumni and promote ongoing communication and support."

A commemorative event photo. (From left: Gil Ki-yeon, CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization; from right, third: Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul)

 

Panoramic view of the “Seouliday” event in Kuala Lumpur

 

Source: Seoul Tourism Organization