Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study examines the spatial and sentiment dynamics of 28 Michelin-starred restaurants in Busan, South Korea, to elucidate how geographic location and service attributes influence customer perceptions in the context of culinary tourism. A mixed-methods design, integrating Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial analysis and qualitative sentiment analysis, was employed. Michelin-starred restaurants in Busan were geocoded using QGIS. A total of 9,898 online reviews were processed through KH Coder to extract frequently occurring terms and co-occurrence relationships, and spatial heat maps were generated to visualize the clustering of positive sentiments across urban districts. The results revealed a significant concentration of highly rated restaurants and positive customer sentiment focusing specifically on the top two sentiments, "good" and "delicious" in Haeundae and Busanjin, where attributes such as food quality, ambiance, and service interact synergistically to enhance customer satisfaction. The integration of spatial and textual analyses provides empirical evidence that geographic concentration contributes to perceived restaurant value and reinforces district-level culinary reputation. The findings carry practical implications for urban planners, tourism policymakers, and restaurateurs, suggesting that strategic investment in culinary clusters and supporting infrastructure can strengthen Busan’s position as a premier gastronomic destination and promote sustainable urban development within the fine-dining sector.
Authors: Mohammad Sayed Noor, Narariya Dita Handani, Rianmahardhika Sahid Budiharseno
Institutions: Dong-A University, Kyungsung University
Language: English
Topic: Culinary Culture and Tourism
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4416347403