Daejeon's iconic bakery, "Seongshimdang," is featured on Japanese television, confirming its status as an international attraction.
Already enjoying nationwide popularity, Seongshimdang is expected to become a must-visit spot for Japanese tourists.
On the 24th (local time), Japan's Hokkaido Broadcasting Station STV aired a special segment titled "Hidden Gems in Korea to Enjoy with Family" on its popular information program "Dōsankō Wide" (どさんこワイド179), focusing on Daejeon's Seongshimdang. As Korea was selected as the "most desired travel destination" for Japanese people, the broadcast highlighted Daejeon, leveraging the sister-city ties between Sapporo and Daejeon that have existed since 2010.
The program vividly captured scenes from the Seongshimdang DCC branch. A long queue forming from the 8 AM opening time was caught on camera, with on-screen subtitles emphasizing "A long line from the morning (朝から大行列)."
A Japanese reporter visiting the scene remarked, "Seongshimdang is so famous that people go out of their way to take the KTX from Seoul." They introduced the popular menu item, fried soboro.
As a key driver for attracting both domestic and international tourists, the reporter explained, "Fried soboro is so popular that the total daily sales from the four bakery locations operated by Seongshimdang reach 40,000." After tasting it, they added, "It’s crispy on the outside and moist on the inside," expressing their admiration.
Japanese-language guides installed throughout the store showcased that Seongshimdang is already well-known among foreign tourists.
After the broadcast, online communities saw humorous yet concerned reactions such as, "Seongshimdang was already crowded, and now they have to manage the influx of foreign tourists," "It’s over! Daejeon residents are crying," and "Isn’t it already packed here?"
Recently, Daejeon's popularity as a domestic travel destination has significantly surged.
According to analysis by the consumer research firm "Consumer Insight," Daejeon's proportion of travelers has increased by 1.0 percentage point compared to 2023, marking the highest rise nationwide.
In the holiday booking status report released by the online travel company "Nol Universe," reservations during the golden holiday (May 1-6) surged by 190% compared to the previous year, securing the top spot nationwide.
Statistics from the Korea Tourism Organization also indicate that a total of 84.63 million visitors came to Daejeon this year, an increase of 3.1% from the previous year. The revitalization of tourism in Daejeon is significantly supported by a well-connected transportation network and the "bread pilgrimage" courses centered around Seongshimdang.
According to the Financial Supervisory Service's statistics, Seongshimdang's revenue for 2023 was 124.3 billion won, marking an increase of over 50% compared to the previous year. This achievement makes it the first domestic bakery, as opposed to large franchises, to exceed 100 billion won in sales.
Image sources: Japanese STV broadcast, News1
