Not Just Bulgogi: Foreign Visitors Playing Like Locals in Korea
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
South Korea is seeing a new wave of tourists who live and play like locals rather than follow classic tourist routes. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism forecasts 18.7 million visitors in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic highs. In Seoul neighborhoods such as Seongsu and Hongdae, foreign visitors flock to local cafes, specialty shops, pop-up stores, and beauty chains (Olive Young). They sample traditional snacks like tteok and hangwa, queue at gamjatang (pork spine soup) restaurants, and enjoy Korean leisure spaces—PC bangs (internet cafes), arcades, and escape rooms—often watching pro gamers and buying souvenirs. Group tours are diversifying too: examples include 104 Taiwanese fans attending professional baseball games and international visitors releasing lanterns at the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival and trying regional dishes like yukjeon and naengmyeon. The Korea Tourism Organization plans marketing support to help local businesses attract these varied inbound travelers.
