Foreign Women Spend Big to Copy 'K-Beauty' Looks, Boosting Korea's Tourism
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Many foreign women are traveling to South Korea specifically for beauty treatments and cosmetics, fueling a rise in ‘beauty tourism.’ Visitors from China, Taiwan, Japan and elsewhere report repeated trips to buy Korean skincare and makeup and to get clinic treatments, often spending hundreds of thousands of won per visit. Data show foreign spending on beauty services jumped sharply (843.3 billion won last year, up 38%), and duty-free beauty sales and store promotions draw large crowds. K-beauty’s global rise — now making Korea the world’s second-largest cosmetics exporter — combined with K-culture fandom (popular K-pop groups) is helping convert trend-sensitive visitors into high-spending, repeat customers. The growth is expected to continue as more tourists seek Korean products and in-person beauty experiences (e.g., clinics, specialized stores).
