Foreign tourists are flocking to South Korea not just for shopping and K-pop but increasingly for beauty treatments, with the latest industry data showing dermatology clinics and drugstores emerging as hot destinations for inbound travelers.
According to global payments group Visa on Tuesday, overseas visitors’ card spending in Korea surged in the 12 months to March, with a notable shift toward what the company called “K-lifestyle experiences.”
Total spending by foreign-issued Visa cards rose in double digits, mirroring the rebound in international arrivals.
VISITS TO SKIN CLINICS SURGE
Healthcare led the surge.
Transactions at medical institutions, primarily dermatology clinics, increased by 58% year-over-year, accounting for 15% of all foreign spending.
Japan stood out, with nearly a fifth of Japanese visitors’ expenditure going to healthcare, above the seven-country average of 16%.
The growth reflects a broader medical tourism boom.
According to Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare, foreign patients reached a record 1.17 million last year, of which 440,000, or 38%, were Japanese.
Demand for skin treatments and cosmetic procedures among younger Japanese women more than doubled from the year before.
“Beauty has become part of the tourist itinerary,” said a Seoul-based industry analyst. “What began as shopping for K-beauty cosmetics has expanded into clinical skincare and even minimally invasive treatments.”
BRISK SALES AT DRUGSTORES, HEALTH RETAILERS
Drugstores and health retailers also saw brisk sales, with foreign spending up 63%, driven by demand for acne medications and recovery creams popularized on social media.
Pharmacies posted strong growth as well, helped by the rise of “K-beauty pharmacy items” that have gained traction among travelers.
While visitors from the US, Japan and China were the heaviest spenders in Korea, accounting for more than half the total foreign spending, Taiwan and Hong Kong posted the fastest growth in spending, up 54% and 50%, respectively.
Taiwan alone sent a record 1.47 million visitors to Korea in 2024, while arrivals from Hong Kong reached 570,000.
By contrast, arrivals from Thailand slipped 14%, hit by the reinstatement of Korea’s electronic travel authorization scheme, which limited entry for some Thai visitors.
Visa card transactions by visitors from the top three countries increased 26% over the year.
The figures underscore how Korea’s soft power is increasingly monetized through healthcare and lifestyle consumption, turning once-niche offerings into mainstream attractions for global tourists, analysts said.
MAIN SHOPPERS FROM CHINA, TAIWAN, HONG KONG
Shopping remained a staple for Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong visitors, who devoted a higher-than-average share of spending to department stores and fashion retailers.
Singaporeans continued to allocate a greater proportion of their outlay to accommodation, though slightly less than the previous year.
Within Korea, foreigners visited diverse cities, shaping different consumption patterns geographically.
More than half of all hotel transactions occurred in Seoul, with Incheon gaining ground thanks to airport access and short-term medical stays, led by Japanese and US citizens.
Busan saw a surge in Taiwanese visitors, while the southernmost resort island of Jeju drew strong demand from China.
“Foreign travelers are broadening their engagement with Korean culture and daily life, from cosmetic procedures to convenience stores,” said Patrick Storey, chief of Visa Korea. “These insights offer important guidance for tourism operators as they design better experiences for overseas customers.”
By In-Soo Nam
isnam@hankyung.com
Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article.
