수원

Suwon · UNESCO World Heritage · Korea

Experience
Suwon
Like a Local

We match international travelers with Suwon's hidden gems —
authentic neighborhoods, local guides, real stories.

Explore Tours How it works →
Scroll to discover
Hwaseong Fortress Haenggung-dong Paldal Market Local Guides Authentic Experiences AI-Matched Tours Beyond Seoul Hwaseong Fortress Haenggung-dong Paldal Market Local Guides Authentic Experiences AI-Matched Tours Beyond Seoul

Suwon is one hour from Seoul.
Yet most visitors never arrive.

Like a Local is an AI-powered travel matching platform that connects Western independent travelers with Suwon's authentic local experiences — from the walls of Hwaseong to the alleyways of Haenggung-dong. We pair each traveler's unique interests with the right guides and local businesses, creating journeys that no guidebook could script.

12.8M
Foreign visitors to Korea, 2024
+124%
Western traveler recovery rate
4
Curated tour routes
2026
Platform launch year

UNESCO World Heritage

Hwaseong Fortress
— Suwon, Korea

1796
Est. by King Jeongjo

Curated Tours

View all experiences →
01
🏯

Fortress & Heritage Walk

Trace the 5.7km walls of Hwaseong with a local historian. Discover hidden gates, watchtowers, and royal history.

3–4 hours From ₩65,000
02
🍜

Haenggung-dong Food Crawl

Navigate the trendy alleys of Haenggung-dong, tasting local delicacies and meeting the artisans behind each dish.

2–3 hours From ₩55,000
03
🎨

Artisan & Craft Quarter

Meet local potters, calligraphers, and craftspeople keeping traditional Korean arts alive in contemporary studios.

3 hours From ₩70,000
04
🌙

Evening Paldal Market

As the sun sets, the markets come alive. Shop, eat, and connect with locals in Suwon's most vibrant night market.

2 hours From ₩45,000

The Process

Three Steps to
Your Perfect Tour

01

📋

Share Your Interests

Tell us what you love — history, food, art, architecture. Our AI analyzes your travel style to build your ideal experience profile.

02

🤝

Get Matched Instantly

We connect you with the ideal local guide and partner businesses that align perfectly with your preferences and schedule.

03

🗺️

Explore Like a Local

Book, pay, and show up. Your guide handles everything else — stories, hidden spots, and the Suwon that tourists never see.

The market is here. We're building the bridge.

Western travelers are returning to Korea at record rates — yet the tourism infrastructure hasn't caught up outside Seoul. Like a Local closes that gap: English-first booking, AI-matched guides, and direct connections to Suwon's thriving local economy.

Global Experience Market

Growing at 15% annually through 2030

$60B

By 2030

Western Visitors to Korea

US, Europe & UK recovery surge

124%

Recovery rate

Target Addressable Market

Seoul-based independent Western travelers

3.8M

Per year

Our Team

IJ

Im Jong-gil

Founder & CEO · 수목회

Launched Sumokwhe (수목회) in January 2026. Has researched Western traveler trends since 2024 and personally organized familiarity tours to validate Suwon's global appeal. Leads strategy, partnerships, and operations.

PE

Park Ye-eun

Marketing & Operations Lead

Manages English-language marketing, social media content creation, and business planning. Drives the brand voice across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube — building our community one post at a time.

LG

Local Guides

Suwon's Hidden Experts

Our guide network is made up of English-fluent Suwon residents — historians, chefs, artists — who share their city not as a performance, but as a lived reality. Onboarding 2026.

Ready to See
the Real Korea?

Join our waitlist for early access to Like a Local tours launching September 2026. Be among the first to experience Suwon through the eyes of those who know it best.

Get Early Access