K-content Tourism Drives 32% Surge In Foreign Tourists’ Spending In Korea

Published on October 27, 2025

In nan 3rd 4th of 2025, overseas tourists’ spending successful South Korea surged by 32%, reaching ₩5.025 trillion (approximately US$3.6 billion), according to Hana Card data. This maturation reflects nan expanding world fame of Korean taste content, peculiarly successful nan K-pop and intermezo sectors. As Korean music, films, and tv shows captivate world audiences, much travelers are flocking to Korea, sparking a “content pilgrimage” that is boosting some tourism and section spending.

Surge successful Spending Linked to K-Pop and K-Content

Hana Card’s study of world transaction information revealed that overseas in installments and debit paper purchases accrued by 30% year-on-year successful Q3 2025. Industry experts property this surge to nan world emergence successful fame of Korean taste exports, particularly nan animated movie K-Pop: Demon Hunters. This movie has inspired visitors to sojourn locations featured successful K-content, making them portion of themed recreation itineraries.

Locations for illustration Bukchon Hanok Village, Gangnam COEX, and Naksan Park, which were prominently featured successful nan film, saw a singular emergence successful overseas tourer spending. Hana Card’s study shows that nan number of transactions astatine these locations accrued by 54%, 30%, and 29%, respectively, compared to nan aforesaid play successful 2024.

Growing Demand for K-Experiences and Wellness Tourism

The emergence successful K-content tourism isn’t constricted to sightseeing. Foreign visitors person besides embraced hands-on K-experiences, peculiarly those successful nan wellness and manner sectors. The entreaty of accepted Korean saunas, spas, and bathhouses has driven a 37% year-on-year summation successful spending successful these areas. Additionally, spending astatine oriental medicine clinics and hospitals has risen by 22%, arsenic much visitors activity authentic wellness experiences rooted successful Korean culture.

The increasing request for beauty and manner experiences besides plays a domiciled successful nan surge. Payments astatine photograph studios, a favourite among visitors looking to seizure their memories, accrued by 30%. Beauty chains specified arsenic Olive Young saw a 41% boost successful spending, reflecting nan increasing liking successful Korean beauty products and treatments.

U.S. Tourists Lead Spending Surge

Among nan overseas visitors flocking to Korea, visitors from nan United States recorded nan highest spending during Q3 2025. Following nan U.S. tourists, travelers from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China contributed importantly to nan spending spike. The fastest-growing nationalities successful position of spending were Taiwan (+64%), China (+45%), and Japan (+32%), reflecting nan world dispersed of K-content’s influence.

Boost for Local Businesses and nan Korean Economy

The melodramatic emergence successful overseas tourer spending is not only benefiting tourism-related sectors but besides providing a much-needed boost to mini businesses crossed Korea. According to nan Korea Tourism Data Lab, 12.38 cardinal overseas visitors visited Korea betwixt January and August 2025, marking a 16% summation from nan erstwhile year. With nan afloat twelvemonth connected way to transcend 20 cardinal overseas visitors, nan summation successful tourism depletion is helping to revitalize home request successful retail, wellness, and taste sectors.

This economical effect is portion of Korea’s broader effort to fortify its position arsenic a world tourism and taste hub, acknowledgment to nan immense world entreaty of K-content. The emergence successful overseas spending is intimately aligned pinch nan country’s imagination to merge civilization and tourism, making Korea an charismatic destination for world travelers.

A New Era for Korean Tourism

As K-pop and Korean play proceed to predominate nan world intermezo scene, Korea’s tourism manufacture is benefiting from an influx of world visitors. The crisp emergence successful paper payments shows that travelers are progressively spending connected experiences linked to nan contented they love, making their trips to Korea much immersive. From K-pop concerts to accepted wellness experiences, nan country’s offerings are resonating pinch visitors successful caller and breathtaking ways.

Looking Ahead to Continued Growth

Korea’s tourism manufacture is expected to spot continued growth, pinch nan world fame of K-content fueling much liking successful nan country’s unsocial taste experiences. As overseas visitors proceed to research K-pop destinations, accepted sites, and wellness offerings, Korea is poised to stay a apical destination for travelers seeking to acquisition nan magic of K-content firsthand.