DDP Crowds Boost Local Business Revenues
Superpass Evolves From Coupon Book into Neighborhood Guide
Monthly Events and Curated Routes Keep Visitors Longer
Joint Marketing Turns Area Into a Nighttime 'Hotspot'
Superpass Evolves From Coupon Book into Neighborhood Guide
Monthly Events and Curated Routes Keep Visitors Longer
Joint Marketing Turns Area Into a Nighttime 'Hotspot'
According to the foundation on April 2, DDP — which opened in 2014 — attracted 126 million visitors over its first 11 years. It drew 17 million people last year alone and placed fifth in a 2024 survey of Seoul sites that satisfied foreign tourists, behind N Seoul Tower, Lotte World, Cheonggyecheon, and Seoul City Hall. The foundation found that about seven in 10 DDP visitors (69.8%) head to nearby shopping hubs like Doota Mall and Hyundai City Outlet after exhibitions or events, showing that a visit to DDP often turns into immediate local spending in Dongdaemun.
Foot traffic and sales data back up that trend. Ridership at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (Lines 2, 4 and 5) climbed from 20.76 million in 2022 to 25.72 million in 2024, a 23.8% increase. Annual card sales in the Dongdaemun Fashion Town Tourism Zone rose from 1.3778 trillion KRW (approximately $1,033,350,000 USD) in 2019 to 1.4491 trillion KRW (approximately $1,086,825,000 USD) in 2024, up by 71.3 billion KRW (approximately $53,475,000 USD). Total Shinhan Card sales in nearby Gwanghui-dong jumped from 272.8 billion KRW (approximately $204,600,000 USD) to 361.9 billion KRW (approximately $271,425,000 USD) in two years, a gain of 89.1 billion KRW (approximately $66,825,000 USD). Over the same period, foreign visitor spending surged from 14.9 billion KRW (approximately $11,175,000 USD) to 97.6 billion KRW (approximately $73,200,000 USD) — a 6.5-fold increase.
The Seoul Design Foundation is redesigning the DDP×Dongdaemun Superpass to spread that foot traffic and spending more widely and to encourage longer stays. What began as a coupon book offering discounts at select Dongdaemun shops will become a neighborhood guide that highlights key sights, local history, and unique stories — and an experience platform that maps out shopping, dining, activities, and sightseeing routes. The foundation says the goal is to shift visitors from quick stops at DDP to route-based nighttime tours that wind through Dongdaemun’s alleys and hidden corners.
The Superpass’ KakaoTalk channel will move beyond simple coupons to become a Monthly Dongdaemun Events Guide where users can see the area’s calendar at a glance. Each month the channel will pool exhibition, event, and sale info for DDP and the surrounding neighborhood so visitors can plan by season.
The foundation is also launching themed spring routes: a Vintage Course linking flea markets and vintage shops; a Custom Course focused on repair and tailor shops; a Heritage Course that traces historical sites like Heunginjimun; and a Curator’s Pick Course chosen by local curator Jang Young-su.
Joint marketing will be amplified too. The foundation will offer three-hour free parking coupons at Hyundai Outlet Dongdaemun and Doota Mall and work with nearby commercial hubs like Migliore to weave fashion, beauty, cafés, and restaurants into a single network. Last month, it opened the DDP×Dongdaemun Superpass Experience Center in the outdoor plaza on the first floor of Hyundai Outlet Dongdaemun, combining neighborhood info, membership sign-ups, and hands-on programs. Staff there walk visitors through maps and suggested routes so they can feel what a curated nighttime itinerary is like.
Cha Kang-hee, CEO of the Seoul Design Foundation, said, “We’ll grow the DDP×Dongdaemun Superpass beyond a simple shop-discount program into a platform that links the whole Dongdaemun area as a single, stay-focused tourism route. We want to create a win-win model that gives visitors richer local experiences and brings new customers and revenue opportunities to local merchants.”
