Koreans Gather in Shanghai: Visiting The Bund, Yuyuan Garden, Tianzifang… and Enjoying Hot Pot

The number of foreign visitors in Shanghai is increasing. Tourists can be seen everywhere in areas like the Bund, Xintiandi, and Wukang Building. Even in some lesser-known attractions, various foreign languages can be heard. The well-known tourist spot Tianzifang is attracting many foreigners, and the Shijing Night Market, located away from the city center, has become a treasure trove worth discovering.

Among these visitors, the number of South Korean tourists has noticeably risen recently. Passersby have observed long queues outside the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, and many South Korean bloggers have shared their Shanghai journeys on social media. The visa exemption policy, proximity, and high level of internationalization have led many South Korean tourists to choose Shanghai as their first stop on their trip to China.

China’s visa exemption policy for citizens holding ordinary passports from South Korea began on November 8 this year, initially allowing a stay of 15 days, which was later extended to 30 days. On December 17, the National Immigration Administration announced a comprehensive relaxation of transit visa exemption policies, increasing the maximum stay duration in China for transit visa-exempt foreigners from 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days). Additionally, 21 new ports of entry for transit visa-exempt individuals have been added, further expanding the areas where they can stay.

According to data from Ctrip, since the implementation of the one-sided visa exemption policy for South Koreans, the top cities for South Korean tourists entering China have been Shanghai, Qingdao, and Beijing, with orders for South Korean tourists entering Shanghai increasing by over 180% year-on-year and over 40% month-on-month.

On December 16, a reporter spoke with South Korean tourists around Tianzifang and Xintiandi. Most of them take advantage of weekends and a couple of days of leave to visit Shanghai, often following recommendations from YouTube and Instagram to visit attractions and try food. Traditional spots such as the Bund, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, Yuyuan Garden, Xintiandi, Wukang Building, and Disneyland are quite popular. Those with some knowledge of Chinese explore areas like “Jufu Chang” (a district abundant with cafés and bars) and various night markets. They enjoy hot pot at Hai Di Lao and Chinese stir-fried dishes. Many are gradually getting accustomed to using Alipay for payments, Didi rides, and the Shanghai subway, exploring this metropolis with “a little English and Chinese,” translation software, and their instincts.

Here are some accounts from South Korean tourists, translated and summarized:

Hansol Song: I really like the architecture in Shanghai
This is my first trip to China, and I’m here by myself. After taking a 5-day leave in addition to the weekend, I plan to stay in Shanghai for eight days, hoping to have a “long and relaxing time.” I chose Shanghai because of the visa exemption; it’s close to Korea, just a 2-hour flight; and I really wanted to visit Disneyland. Yesterday, I arrived and went to the Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, and Wukang Building. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea site is my favorite; it’s an essential spot for every Korean tourist visiting Shanghai. I also tried some Chinese dishes and took photos of scrambled eggs with tomatoes and braised pork; the tomatoes were great, but the braised pork was a bit too oily. I also browsed some boutique clothing stores in Xintiandi; they looked nice but were expensive. Besides Disneyland, I don’t have a concrete travel plan—just walking around with my camera. I love Shanghai’s architecture, especially the Shikumen houses near Xintiandi, which are very old; we don’t have these in Korea. I use Amap for navigation, but it’s only in Chinese, so it’s hard for me to understand; I rely on my sense of direction. When I need to communicate, I use Papago for translation. The weather has been nice these days, so I can finally go to my dream Disneyland.

Lee Seong-kyu: The Shijing Night Market was very lively
My three friends and I are traveling together, planning to stay in Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou for four days. I studied in China for a year and a half and know a bit of Chinese, so traveling is relatively easy. My favorite spot is the Bund, with the Oriental Pearl Tower and Huangpu River; the night view is beautiful. We went to the Shijing Night Market last night—it’s the largest night market in Shanghai, as I saw on a Chinese website. There are a lot of food options, and it’s very lively, unlike any night market in Korea. The various stir-fried dishes and fried rice in Shanghai are delicious.

Hong Doryong and Lee Taehyun: The spicy crayfish, barbecues, and Hai Di Lao were all great
It’s our first time in China, so we’re determined to eat well. We’ve already enjoyed lamb, spicy crayfish, barbecues, and Hai Di Lao, and they’ve all been wonderful. We mainly visited Xintiandi, Wukang Road, and the Bund. Tomorrow, we plan to go to Disneyland, and the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea is our favorite place, which every Korean comes to visit and take photos. Shanghai is bustling, the architecture is beautiful, and it’s very clean, similar to cities in Korea—modern and busy.

We are both on vacation due to the visa exemption between China and Korea, so we’re spending five days in Shanghai. With various mobile apps, traveling is quite convenient; we used YouTube for attraction tips, Amap for navigation, and Alipay for payments. Communicating can be a bit challenging, so we rely on Papago for translation.

Christy Huang: After 15 years in Shanghai, this time I feel there’s been a lot of change
We are siblings visiting Shanghai together. My younger siblings are here for the first time and find it very fascinating. We arrived two nights ago; parts of Chang Le Road have been demolished, but Fumin Road and Julong Road are still there. That night, we went out to many bars that were filled with young people, and my brother really liked it. We’ve spent the past two days exploring the Bund, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, Tianzifang, and Xintiandi, mainly in the city center, which offers a wide variety of eating, drinking, and entertainment options. My sister’s favorite spot is Tianzifang, where she bought many cute handicrafts. We love the Bund for its sense of cultural blend, and especially the beautiful night views, so we plan to go to a scenic restaurant there for a drink tonight.

This is my first visit back to Shanghai after studying at Fudan University for 15 years. I returned to Korea five years ago for work. This is the first time in several years that I’m back, and there’s been a significant change—now everywhere operates through WeChat and Alipay, eliminating the need for cash. Although this existed before, it was not as widespread. Our Korean bank cards can be linked to Alipay for convenience, which China has done very well.

Recently, the number of South Korean tourists visiting China has indeed increased. Previously, obtaining a Chinese visa was expensive and difficult, but now that there is a visa exemption, many people are traveling, and I’ve heard the number of visitors has doubled. Our round-trip flight tickets aren’t too expensive—just over 1,000 RMB. However, we still have to work; my brother is still in school, so we can only take two days off, which limits our stay in Shanghai to around three days.

Han Rujin: My Chinese friend met me online to guide me around
My Chinese friend, who I met online and speaks Korean, has been accompanying me on my tour of Shanghai. I know a little Chinese, so we have been sightseeing together. The past few days, we visited the Bund, Lujiazui, Oriental Pearl Tower, People’s Square, Yuyuan Garden, and the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. My favorite spots are the night view of the Bund and the Chenghuang Miao area in Yuyuan Garden, which has beautiful architecture.

I studied in Dalian for two years back in 2008 and learned some Chinese; I had only visited Beijing before, so this is my first time in Shanghai. Shanghai is very clean and has convenient transportation, just like other international metropolises such as Seoul and Tokyo. I came last Saturday and plan to leave on Tuesday. If I have a chance next time, I want to visit Hong Kong.

This trip would have been great just for the experience with friends, but as a Korean, I especially love taking photos. The Bund and Oriental Pearl Tower are very popular spots. If you search for “Shanghai travel” on YouTube, you’ll find many recommendations. I will also recommend this city to my family and friends. I’m very impressed with it, and since I can speak a bit of Chinese, it’s quite convenient.

Lee Shiying and Park Eunjin: We plan to bring our families back to Shanghai next year
We’ve been walking back and forth in Tianzifang for a long time, buying a lot of flower tea as souvenirs for family and friends. We’ll also check out the Feiyue sneaker store later. The prices here aren’t too expensive or too cheap, which is acceptable.

Before traveling, we did a lot of research on Instagram about attractions, shopping, and dining. We’re staying near East Nanjing Road, and the light show at the Bund is beautiful. The hot pot at Hai Di Lao is delicious; we’ve already been to Disneyland and also plan to check out Wukang Building.

We’ve visited China many times, including trips to Beijing, Qingdao, Harbin, and Xiamen, and always have a good impression. Shanghai feels like a