Gangneung — once known for its 'pride' — runs city-wide kindness campaign for visitors

Gangneung — Korea's east-coast city famous for coffee, Olympic ice rinks, and Anmok Beach — has carried a less-flattering label in Korean cultural memory: "the city of pride." The phrase, in the way older Koreans use it, is a polite way of saying "kind of cold to outsiders." Local merchants were known for being short with tourists; restaurant owners had a reputation for not bothering to be friendly with people who weren't going to come back.

That's been quietly shifting for a few years, and on May 7, 2026, the city took a notable next step: an organized, citizen-led kindness campaign across five major shopping districts, aiming to change Gangneung's reception of visitors from the inside out.

What the campaign actually does

The "Gangneung International Tourist City Citizen Movement" runs across five sites:

• Jungang Market (강릉중앙시장)
• Seongnam Market (성남시장)
• Wolhwa Street (월화거리, the city's main pedestrian-cultural corridor)
• Two additional partner districts

Local merchants and citizens are voluntarily training and signing on to a friendly-greeting protocol — pricing transparency, English-friendly menus where possible, and active welcoming gestures rather than the older "you'll buy or you won't, I don't care" energy.

Why this matters

Gangneung sees a particular pattern: domestic Korean tourists love it for nostalgia and coastal scenery, but international visitors often go once and never return — partly because the welcome can feel transactional. The city is now openly framing this as a problem to solve.

What's interesting is that the move is citizen-led, not just tourism-bureau-led. The phrase Korean media used was 시민실천운동 — literally "citizens' practice movement" — which signals an attempt to change everyday street-level behavior, not just put up multilingual signs.

For visitors

If Gangneung is on your East Coast itinerary, expect the markets to feel noticeably warmer than the city's older reputation. A few practical notes:

• Jungang Market is the foreigner-friendly anchor. Snacks, hot tofu rice, and souvenirs in one walk.
• Wolhwa Street is best at sundown — the campaign is most visible here.
• If a vendor is friendly, return the favor — a simple "감사합니다 (gam-sa-ham-ni-da)" goes further than you'd expect.

The bigger story

What's happening in Gangneung is the kind of change that doesn't make global headlines: a Korean city deciding, collectively, that being known as "kind of cold" is no longer acceptable. It's the same energy as Busan stepping in on concert-week price gouging, or Jongno-gu putting names on Gwangjang Market vendors. Different cities, same direction — Korea trying to get its tourist-facing reputation right.