Reasons why tourists chose to visit South Korea in 2023

According to a survey conducted in South Korea throughout 2023, around 60 percent of tourists stated that they chose South Korea as a travel destination in order to take food or gourmet tours. Other popular reasons included going shopping and experiencing nature. 16 percent wanted to partake in K-pop or other pop culture-related activities.

International popularity of South Korean cuisine

A 2024 survey found that Korean cuisine enjoyed high popularity worldwide, and was consequently also often available for purchase overseas. Korean fried chicken was the most popular Korean dish internationally, ahead of several other famous dishes. In 2023, restaurant expenses made up the largest share of expenditure among tourists in South Korea, even ahead of basic travel costs such as transportation and accommodation. Other food and beverage purchases, such as supermarket visits or street food vendors, accounted for an additional eight percent of spending, making food a major focus of visitors.

K-pop drawing in fans

While Korean cuisine was the biggest draw for travelers visiting South Korea, the cultural phenomenon people abroad most strongly associated with South Korea was its pop culture, most notably K-pop. The term “hallyu” refers to the global increase in interest in, and the popularity of, South Korean pop culture, ranging from K-pop to K-dramas and related industries. Hallyu tourism has become its own type of tourism, with 16 percent of tourists in 2023 visiting the country specifically for that purpose. This was particularly common among other Asian tourists, with almost 22 percent of Japanese tourists visiting for hallyu-related experiences. Most of these hallyu tourists were female, and in the age range of 15 to 19 years, though it was also a notable attraction for older travelers.