Condé Nast Traveler readers vote Seoul as world's No. 1 big city

Seoul was named the world’s best big city in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. The capital rose from fifth place last year and surpassed Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, Paris and Singapore in the ranking. More than 798,000 readers cited Seoul’s 2,000-year history and blend of traditional architecture, technology and pop culture. Seoul also ranked third among the world’s friendliest cities.

The 2026 ranking was the 39th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey conducted by Condé Nast Traveler.

Seoul’s restoration of Yulgok-ro created an 8,000-square-meter park linking Changgyeong Palace grounds with Jongmyo Shrine for the first time in 90 years.

Time Out named Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga the world’s coolest neighborhood for its wooden homes, late-night dining and independent artisan shops.

Seoul officials plan to expand night-culture tours, local market experiences and Han River riverfront leisure activities to encourage longer stays.

Published Oct 8, 2026 10:59 am KST

Updated Oct 8, 2026 12:45 pm KST

Korea's capital surges to top spot with K-culture, rich history, pedestrian-friendly urban revival

Seoul secures the top spot as the World’s Best Big City in Condé Nast Traveler’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards, celebrated for its unique blend of heritage, high tech and hospitality. Captured from Conde Nast Traveler webpage

A vibrant mix of centuries-old tradition, hypermodern technology and unstoppable pop culture has officially shifted Asia’s travel center of gravity. Seoul has taken the crown as the world's best big city.

In the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards published this week by Condé Nast Traveler, the capital of Korea dethroned Tokyo to secure the No. 1 spot for the very first time. The victory marks a dramatic surge from its fifth-place finish last year, placing Seoul ahead of established global hubs like Shanghai, Sydney, Paris and Singapore. More than 798,000 readers cast votes in this year's 39th annual survey, signaling a clear shift in how global travelers view the Asian metropolis.

While the worldwide frenzy surrounding K-pop, K-dramas and skin care initially put Seoul on the bucket list for millions of travelers, voters cited the city’s complex, 2,000-year history and its balance of contrast as the real key to its enduring appeal. Within a single neighborhood, visitors can step from a neon-lit smart district straight into a quiet courtyard surrounded by traditional Korean architecture.

In a separate reader tally by Condé Nast Traveler, Seoul earned third place among the world's friendliest cities, praised for everyday gestures of hospitality — like street-side restaurant owners explaining local dishes or commuters guiding lost tourists through the subway system. Meanwhile, cultural tastemaker Time Out recently named Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga as the "coolest neighborhood on earth," spotlighting its century-old wooden homes, late-night open-air dining and independent artisan shops tucked along the stone walls of the historic Jongmyo Shrine.

Much of this charm is the result of deliberate urban revitalization.

City planners have spent years restoring historical spaces, connecting green corridors and converting car-heavy streets into pedestrian havens. A prime example is the restoration of Yulgok-ro, where an underground tunnel made way for an 8,000-square-meter park that reconnected the Changgyeong Palace grounds to Jongmyo Shrine for the first time in 90 years.

Looking ahead, city officials said they plan to expand night-culture tours, local market experiences, and riverfront leisure along the Han River to encourage longer stays.

"Seoul winning the top big city spot is proof that the world recognizes the rich, multifaceted charm we’ve built — from 2,000 years of history to global K-culture and the quiet beauty of our historic alleys," Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said. "We will continue to protect our heritage while infusing new vitality, making Seoul a place where travelers want to stay longer in and return to again and again."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

在《康泰纳仕旅行者》杂志2026年度读者之选评选中，首尔荣膺全球最佳大城市称号。这座首都城市从去年的第五名跃升至榜首，超越了东京、上海、悉尼、巴黎和新加坡。超过79.8万名读者称赞首尔拥有两千年的历史，并完美融合了传统建筑、科技和流行文化。此外，首尔还位列全球最友好城市第三名。

2026 年的排名是 Condé Nast Traveler 进行的第 39 届年度读者选择奖调查。

首尔对栗谷路的修复，打造了一个占地 8000 平方米的公园，90 年来首次将昌庆宫与宗庙连接起来。

《Time Out》杂志将首尔钟路三街评为世界上最酷的街区，因为那里有木制房屋、深夜餐厅和独立手工艺品商店。

首尔市政府计划扩大夜间文化之旅、当地市场体验和汉江沿岸休闲活动，以鼓励游客延长停留时间。

发布于2026年10月8日上午10:59（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月8日下午12:45（韩国标准时间）

韩国首都凭借韩流文化、悠久历史和适宜步行的城市复兴，跃居榜首

首尔在《康泰纳仕旅行者》年度读者之选奖中荣膺“全球最佳大城市”称号，其独特的文化底蕴、高科技和热情好客的融合备受赞誉。摘自《康泰纳仕旅行者》网页

几个世纪以来的传统、超现代的科技和势不可挡的流行文化完美融合，正式改变了亚洲的旅游中心格局。首尔已然摘得世界最佳大都市的桂冠。

在本周由《康泰纳仕旅行者》杂志发布的2026年度读者之选奖中，韩国首都首尔超越东京，首次荣登榜首。这一胜利标志着首尔排名的大幅提升，较去年的第五名实现了显著增长，使其超越了上海、悉尼、巴黎和新加坡等老牌国际旅行枢纽。今年是该年度评选的第39届，共有超过79.8万名读者参与投票，这清晰地表明全球旅行者对这座亚洲大都市的看法正在发生显著转变。

虽然韩流、韩剧和护肤品在全球范围内掀起的热潮最初让首尔成为数百万旅行者的旅行目的地，但投票者认为，这座城市两千年的复杂历史以及鲜明对比的平衡才是其经久不衰的真正关键。在同一个街区内，游客可以从霓虹闪烁的繁华街区直接步入被传统韩式建筑环绕的静谧庭院。

在《康泰纳仕旅行者》杂志的另一项读者评选中，首尔荣膺全球最友好城市第三名，其热情好客的日常举动备受赞誉，例如街边餐馆老板热情地介绍当地菜肴，或是通勤者为迷路的游客指路。与此同时，文化权威杂志《Time Out》近期将首尔钟路三街评为“地球上最酷的街区”，重点介绍了这里百年历史的木屋、深夜露天餐厅以及沿着历史悠久的宗庙石墙而建的独立手工艺品商店。

这种魅力很大程度上是精心策划的城市改造的结果。

城市规划者多年来致力于修复历史遗迹、连接绿色走廊，并将车水马龙的街道改造成步行天堂。栗谷路的修复就是一个典型的例子。一条地下隧道被改造成一个占地8000平方米的公园，使昌庆宫与宗庙在90年来首次重新连接起来。

展望未来，市政府官员表示，他们计划扩大夜间文化之旅、当地市场体验以及汉江沿岸休闲活动，以鼓励游客延长停留时间。

首尔市长吴世勋表示：“首尔荣膺最佳大城市称号，证明世界认可了我们所打造的丰富多彩的魅力——从两千年的历史底蕴到风靡全球的韩流文化，再到静谧优美的历史街巷。我们将继续保护我们的文化遗产，同时注入新的活力，使首尔成为旅行者想要停留更久、并一次又一次重返的城市。”

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。