Goyang: The South Korean city that became a cat sensation

Famous for hosting the international flower festival every year, Goyang is one of Seoul’s major satellite cities. Yet for years, it struggled to stand out among its counterparts with a population of one million.

Despite managing several social media accounts, the city’s content failed to capture attention. Clearly, something needed to change.

In 2013, someone playfully suggested, 'Why not use a cat to reflect the city’s identity?' They pointed out the similarity between Goyang’s name and the Korean word for cat, 'goyang-yi.'

Choi Seo-young, a PR official responsible for social media, decided to try the idea by sharing a hand-drawn cat illustration on the city’s neglected Facebook page.

From playful idea to viral sensation

In South Korea, cats were once seen as devious animals associated with bad luck. However, Choi, one of the youngest team members, believed they deserved a chance to shine.

At the time, Goyang’s Facebook page had a modest following of around 2,000 people. Yet just 24 hours after the profile picture was changed to a cat named “Goyang-goyang-yi,” the internet exploded with excitement. The new mascot quickly became a hit, sparking interaction from locals and people across the country.

Today, Goyang’s social media accounts, including Facebook, boast over half a million followers. The beloved cat, Goyang-goyang-yi, can even be found displayed in the lobby of the city hall.

A cheerful cat poster greets visitors, and a quirky statue of a masked cat serves as a reminder to wear face masks. There’s even a designated “photo zone” where visitors can snap a picture with Goyang-goyang-yi.

The people of Goyang have fully embraced Goyang-goyang-yi as their mascot.

“There used to be a saying in Korea that cats shouldn’t be around babies because they were seen as thieves and demons,” recalls Kwon Ji-young, a café worker and longtime resident of Goyang. “But those old beliefs are gone, and I’ve gotten used to cats. Now, I find the city’s messages more approachable because they’re coming from a cat.”

“The city used to feel serious and a bit dull, but that’s changed with the addition of the cat,” says Lee Yeong-sook, a restaurant owner. “When I see posts from Goyang-goyang-yi, it brightens my day and makes them much more memorable.”

The rise of cat influence

Cats reign supreme on social media, not just in Asia, but all around the world – and South Korea is no exception.

Heek, a pure white cat from the popular Jeju Island in South Korea, has amassed over 190,000 followers on Instagram. This stray’s life took a turn for the better when he was adopted by a local resident, Lee Sina.

Heek doesn’t have to do much to captivate his fans. Whether he’s lounging on a table, walking along a wall, or gazing blankly at the world, his photos rack up thousands of likes. In 2017, Lee published a book about Heek that remained in the top 100 bestsellers for two weeks on Yes24, a major online bookstore in South Korea.

The surge in popularity of cats is often linked to modern life and the growing number of single-person households in South Korea. Cats are known for being low-maintenance compared to dogs, and many people say that watching cat videos provides emotional comfort and healing.

Park Jung-yoon, a well-known South Korean celebrity veterinarian, believes that the surge in cat popularity reflects a shift in Korean society.

“In the past, people admired dogs for their loyalty, their pack mentality, and their respect for order – traits that mirrored what South Korean society once valued in its people. But now, with a shift toward individualism, cats’ independent nature and outsider persona have become more appealing,” says Park.

In South Korea, cat owners often refer to themselves as 'butlers,' a term that humorously captures the one-sided power dynamic between them and their feline companions.

According to a 2019 survey by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, cats are especially popular among people living in single-person households. A more recent survey from last month shows that over 30 percent of households in South Korea are now single-person households.

The growing trend of cats among single-person households has even influenced home design, with specialized spaces created to accommodate these feline companions.

Pet Heim is a real estate developer catering to pet owners. In their promotional video, a Persian Blue cat playfully asks, 'Hey butler, have you found our new home yet?' and proceeds to show off an apartment complete with a cat door, a cat tower, a special cat bathtub, and more.

The image overhaul

Just a decade ago, cats were largely unpopular in Korea. Stray cats, known as 'thief cats' for their habit of rummaging through plastic bags for scraps, were seen as unsanitary and carriers of germs.

“Just 10 years ago, cats were only seen as useful for catching mice,” recalls Park Sang-wook, editor of Yaong-yi, South Korea’s first cat-focused newspaper, which launched in 2015.

“Cats were often kept on leashes in shops or restaurants for that very purpose. I’ve definitely noticed the shift. I’ve spoken to many people who were once afraid of cats, but over the past 3 to 4 years, as the social perception of cats has changed, many of them now say they’ve developed a fondness for them.”

If not kept as mouse catchers, there was little reason for people to keep cats, so many of them lived as strays. These cats were left to survive by scavenging food from trash bags outside people’s homes, often dying when they became old or sick in the streets.

However, things have visibly started to change. Park notes that the number of pet-related exhibitions was under 10 until 2016, but by 2017 and 2018, that number had increased four- or fivefold.

“Many companies that once focused on wedding or baby expos have now pivoted to pet expos,” Park adds.

South Korea’s fertility rate, the lowest in the world, was recorded at just 0.84 in 2020. In comparison, the US had a rate of 1.73 and Japan 1.42 in 2018, according to the latest OECD data.

Cat-themed shops are sprouting up everywhere, much like the merchandise stores dedicated to K-pop or K-drama stars.

“Cats are now treated like celebrities,” says Park.

Noh Hee-jeong, a café owner in Seoul, says she and her cat Eve bonded because they share similar personalities.

“People often tell me that I look tough on the outside but have a soft side, and I think Eve is exactly the same,” she explains.

Since Eve joined her, Noh Hee-jeong began collaborating with fellow restaurant and café owners to care for neighborhood cats. They feed stray cats and gather to discuss how to help sick ones they encounter.

She launched the “We’re Not Things” campaign, advocating for a change in South Korean law, which still treats pets as property, making it difficult to punish those who abuse them.

Not everyone has embraced cats… yet

The rising popularity of cats has led to more people adopting them, but it’s also resulted in an increase in abandoned cats. Many of these strays face abuse, illness, and end up in shelters. One such shelter, RAY, was founded in 2018 to help these homeless cats in Seoul.

“Animals once thrived in their natural environments, but with all the development around us, they now need our help. It’s time for humans to take responsibility for their well-being,” says Kim Eun-hee, the founder of RAY.

In 2016, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency launched a project to capture stray cats, neuter them, and return them to their original locations – all funded by the government.

However, the effort is still insufficient, and many shelters are overcrowded. RAY, for example, houses about 90 cats in a small two-story building in northern Seoul. Kim hopes to relocate to a larger facility that can accommodate more cats in need.

Many passionate cat lovers agree that more protection for pets and strays is urgently needed, yet it’s undeniable that the status of cats has been dramatically elevated.

Choi, a Goyang city official, recalled that less than a decade ago, she never imagined a cat could become the city’s official mascot due to the negative image cats once had.

South Korea is famous for its fast-paced society, but even by these standards, the transformation of cats has been remarkable. From “street thieves” to pampered pets and social media icons, South Korean cats may be undergoing changes even faster than the country itself.