Seoul Named World's Best Big City by Readers of US Travel Magazine Condé Nast Traveler

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that Seoul has been selected as the world's best big city in a reader survey conducted by the prominent U.S. travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler.

According to the city, Condé Nast Traveler announced the results of its 2026 Readers' Choice Awards on October 6 (local time).

After ranking 5th last year, Seoul climbed four spots this year to take 1st place, beating out major global tourist destinations such as Tokyo (2nd), Phnom Penh (3rd), Shanghai (4th), Sydney (5th), and Paris (7th).

The city noted that Seoul reached the top spot for the first time, surpassing Tokyo, which had claimed 1st place for two consecutive years from 2024 to 2025.

Now in its 39th year, the awards are based on a total of 798,867 reader votes across all categories, including cities, hotels, and resorts.

Condé Nast Traveler is a prominent U.S. travel magazine founded in 1987, and its publisher, Condé Nast, is a global media group that also publishes Vogue, The New Yorker, and GQ.

In a feature article on Seoul published in September of last year, Condé Nast Traveler highlighted how travelers can experience contrasting charms in a single city, ranging from history and modernity, nature and cutting-edge technology, to budget-friendly choices and luxury experiences.

While explaining that global interest in K-pop, K-beauty, and K-dramas has served as the background for Seoul's growth as a popular tourist destination, the magazine also emphasized the deep and complex history spanning over 2,000 years behind it.

The city stated that this 1st-place ranking in the reader survey demonstrates how Seoul's charms are translating into actual experiences and preferences among travelers.

Additionally, Seoul ranked 3rd in the "World's Friendliest Cities for 2026" announced by the British edition of Condé Nast Traveler.

Previously, in September, the British global culture and travel magazine Time Out selected Jongno 3-ga as 1st in the "World's Coolest Neighborhoods for 2026" category.

In the "2026 Skifties" announced by U.S. travel media Skift in August, Seoul also ranked 1st as the "City Most Loved by Global MZ Generation."

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, "This is recognition from people around the world of the diverse charms Seoul has built up, including its 2,000-year history, K-culture that has captivated the world, and everyday life captured within hanok and alleys." He added, "While preserving Seoul's history and unique flair, we will add new culture and vitality to create a global tourism city that brings pride to its citizens and makes people from around the world want to stay longer and visit again."

(Photo: Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.