AI meets heritage to transform tourism experience in Seoul

In a leafy temple courtyard tucked away from the bustling avenues of Seoul, foreign travelers attempting to navigate the nuanced rituals of temple stays, meditation and traditional Eastern medicine may soon find an unlikely companion: generative artificial intelligence (AI). Under a newly announced initiative from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Korea is deploying cutting-edge digital technologies to modernize its oldest cultural assets. Officials said Tuesday that three tech startups have been selected to pair advanced AI, location-based audio guides and automated booking platforms with traditional Korean wellness and Buddhist heritage sites. The municipal project addresses a persistent hurdle for overseas visitors exploring Korean cultural heritage: steep language barriers and complex reservation systems. While K-pop and Korean cinema have drawn record numbers of international tourists to the capital, foreign visitors frequently report difficulty navigating off-the-beaten-path experiences like temple stays, herbal medicine consultations and monastic cuisine. To bridge this gap, city