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| ▲ Tourists take their time exploring displays at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul on August 1, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, August 26 (Yonhap) -- The National Museum of Korea is expected to break its own attendance records this year, with estimates suggesting it may exceed 5 million visitors annually for the first time since opening in 1945.
As per museum records published on Tuesday, 4,189,822 individuals entered the facility from January 1 through August 25. This number has surpassed the overall visitor count of 3,788,785 documented for the entire year of 2024, and also surpasses the previous record of 4,180,285 set in 2023—the inaugural year the museum exceeded four million visitors.
Currently, the museum is projected to hit the 5 million mark by the end of the year, an unprecedented achievement in its 80-year existence. A representative from the museum mentioned that this number comes from initial counts for the permanent exhibit areas, noting that the total might rise even more when considering theater performances, learning initiatives, and additional events.
The number of visitors each month has steadily increased throughout the year, exceeding 500,000 in both January and February, and reaching 747,679 in July. This equates to roughly 24,000 individuals daily as of the previous month. Visitor counts for August have already gone beyond 700,000.
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| ▲ Tourists take their time exploring displays at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul on August 1, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Experts believe the increase is due to growing international fascination with Korean culture, which has been boosted by the recent global popularity of the Netflix animated movie "K-Pop Demon Hunters," showcasing classic elements like the Korean hat known as a gat and tigers. The museum stated that this trend indicates the spread of the Korean Wave past K-pop and K-cuisine into "K-tradition."
More people from different age groups are visiting, especially those in their 20s and 30s. The total number of annual visitors to the National Museum of Korea and its 13 associated museums exceeded 10 million for two years in a row during 2023–2024, with international tourists also reaching a record level in 2024. Revenue from "muse" items—products featuring museum themes—amounted to 11.5 billion won ($8.4 million) just in the first six months of this year.
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| ▲ This image, supplied by Netflix, captures a moment from "K-pop Demon Hunters." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
With an average of almost 490,000 attendees per month from January through July, the yearly total might eventually climb up to 6 million by December. The approaching Chuseok holiday in October is also anticipated to increase attendance even more.
The sharp rise in numbers has sparked worries regarding security and the ability of the infrastructure to handle the load. When the museum first started operating from its Yongsan location in 2005, its display areas were built to hold up to roughly 18,000 guests daily. However, recent spikes—particularly throughout the summer holiday period—have put pressure on the buildings, causing alarms about the protection of historical items, the quality of displays, and the comfort of those visiting.
The museum has advised guests to take advantage of public transit, cautioning that parking could involve more than an hour spent waiting because of traffic jams. Extra tour leaders and law enforcement personnel have been assigned to the entry points. There are also plans being developed to construct a larger children's museum on-site, which will be triple the present scale, featuring comfortable spaces for families. This growth project is expected to finish by 2029.
"Visitation has risen substantially, yet our budget and infrastructure have not changed since moving to Yongsan in 2005," stated a museum representative, emphasizing the importance of more funding and personnel.
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