From kimbap rolling to Han River picnics: Seocho-gu wows foreign tourists with K-food sunset experience

Seoul's Seocho-gu said it successfully wrapped up the "2026 K-Food Han River Sunset Picnic in Seocho," an immersive tourism program for foreign visitors, in the Goter·Sevit tourism zone on Saturday.

The program was designed to let foreign tourists experience Korean food culture while exploring key attractions in the Goter·Sevit tourism zone — including Goto Mall, the Picasso Mural Street and Banpo Hangang Park — and discover what makes Seocho-gu a distinctive travel destination.

A total of 35 tourists from 14 countries, including the United States, Bangladesh, Germany, Hungary and Taiwan, took part in the event, moving through four activities: a K-food kimbap-making session, a walking tour of the tourism zone, a Han River sunset picnic and a social media photo challenge.

Participants began with a K-food experience at a kimbap restaurant in the tourism zone, where they learned about the Goter·Sevit area and the history of kimbap as a signature Korean dish. They then learned how to prepare kimbap and rolled their own using a variety of ingredients, getting a hands-on taste of Korean food culture.

The walking tour took participants through the Seoul 24-hour mural and Picasso Mural Street, followed by a visit to the Goto Mall Fashion Show Photo Exhibition, where they voted for their favorite works and engaged with the zone's fashion and cultural offerings.

The highlight came at Banpo Hangang Park, where participants spread out on a picnic area and enjoyed the kimbap they had made alongside chicken and drinks, taking in the moonbow fountain illuminating the Han River on an autumn evening and a busking performance.

Betti, a Hungarian tourist who attended the event, said she enjoyed making kimbap and meeting people from different backgrounds. "It was especially special because I got to eat delicious food while looking out at the beautiful Han River and even enjoy a live performance," she said.

Participants also took part in the social media photo challenge, capturing memories from the day. Those who posted three photos — from the kimbap-making session, the walking tour and the Han River picnic — received Seocho tourism merchandise including an eco bag, a passport case and a tumbler, while their posts spread word of the tourism zone's attractions online.

The district plans to produce short-form videos featuring event footage and tourist interviews for promotion across social media and other channels, and said it will continue developing immersive tourism content that draws on the Goter·Sevit zone's signature assets in K-food, fashion, beauty and the Han River.

Seocho-gu District Mayor Jeon Seong-su said he hoped the event had been "a special gift for foreign tourists to fully enjoy the charm of K-food and the Han River," adding that the district would keep building the zone into a world-class destination through differentiated content unique to Goter·Sevit.