Korea Tourism Organization: Foreign Tourists Shift to Everyday ‘K-Lifestyle’ and ‘K-Health’ Purchases
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
The Korea Tourism Organization reported that shopping made up 51% of foreign tourist spending, with a clear shift from expensive single-item buys to frequent, practical purchases focused on daily lifestyle, personal taste and wellness. From 2018 to Sept 2025 credit-card data show average spend per purchase fell (₩150,000 → ₩120,000) while total spend per person rose 83% because purchase frequency jumped 124% — a move toward ‘small-pleasure’ (소확행) consumption. In Jan–Sep 2025 card transactions surged for gachapon shops (+142%), stationery (+48.7%) and bookstores (+39.9%), signaling explosive growth in K-lifestyle souvenirs and affordable collectibles; Artbox stores posted strong growth across airport and city locations. Fashion spending rose 23.4%, led by accessories, sportswear, sports goods and underwear (the latter with big demand increases from Singapore and Taiwan). Beauty and health purchases grew 40.4% in 2025 after an annual average rise of 19.1% (2018–2024), with cosmetics, pharmacies and health supplements especially strong; drugstore buys now include wellness products rather than just medicines, and sales of Korean red ginseng and other supplements jumped 75.1%. The KTO says these trends reflect widening global influence of Korean lifestyle and K-content and will guide industry responses to new demand.
