Now In Korea
K-Medical Tourism Soars — From K-Beauty to Dental Care as Visitors Follow K-Culture
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Korean medical tourism has grown about tenfold in five years as international visitors seek K-beauty and medical services alongside regular sightseeing. From January to August this year, arrivals reached 12.38 million (up 16% year-on-year), surpassing pre-pandemic levels. K-content popularity (including Netflix releases) and lifestyle tourism — trying hanbok (traditional Korean dress), visiting palaces, sampling Korean food like gimbap, and shopping at stores such as Olive Young and Daiso — are driving demand for longer, higher-spending stays. High-profile visits (e.g., Kim Kardashian) have boosted interest in dermatology and cosmetic procedures; data show foreign patients receiving treatment in Korea rose from about 117,069 in 2020 to roughly 1.17 million last year. While dermatology and plastic surgery remain largest shares, dental tourism is rapidly expanding: dental bookings on travel platforms jumped ~588% year-on-year in Q3, and dental clinics treating foreign patients increased ~26%. Patient origins are diversifying beyond Asia and the U.S. to Europe, Türkiye, and Australia. With relatively lower costs and high medical standards — plus eased visa rules for some Chinese tour groups — Korea’s medical tourism sector is expected to keep accelerating.
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