South Korea’s tourism industry has been on a sharp increase for the last few years. Ever since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic the nation has seen record numbers of tourists every year. In 2023 alone they saw a whopping 255% increase in the number of tourists visiting. And it is expected that the final numbers for 2024 will be even more impressive.
As it currently stands, South Korea is the 20th most visited country by tourists on the planet. And some experts claim that it could easily break the top 10 within the next decade. But why has South Korea suddenly become such a tourist hotspot? It normally takes nations decades to see the sort of gains that South Korea has had in the last few years.
Hallyu
Hallyu is the biggest and most obvious answer for why South Korea has become such a tourist hotspot. Hally is a Chinese term for the ‘Korean Wave.’ It is referring to the spread of Korean culture across the globe and its increasing popularity. It is an umbrella term that covers all forms of entertainment medium. Art, TV shows, movies, video games, music, fashion, theatre.
And the ever increasing popularity of Korean culture is undeniable. We need only look at the 2020 academy awards for proof of this. The movie ‘Parasite’ had five nominations and won four of them! A huge milestone, not only for South Korean cinema, but for the movie industry as a whole. Parasite was the first non-English speaking movie to ever win best picture. The importance of this milestone to the movie industry cannot be overstated.
And the TV show Squid Game also took the world by storm! Becoming an overnight sensation and proving to the world that South Korean TV can compete with the biggest names in the West. Since then we have seen numerous South Korean actors gain starring roles in many popular franchises.
And, of course, we cannot ignore K-Pop. Perhaps the biggest and most influential entertainment medium to come out of South Korea. K-Pop has warped the entire music industry around it. Shifting the landscape to one that focuses on idolatry and grand performances paired with catching music and stunning outfits. All of these things were a part of the global music scene before. But K-Pop refined it and elevated it to a new level.
The Draw Of Hallyu
People have always been drawn to the homeland of their favorite cultural entertainment mediums. Hollywood has always been one of the most popular tourist destinations because of this. France still remains the most visited country on the planet. Mostly due to its rich cultural and constant depiction in movies and TV shows. And it being the world fashion centre also plays a big part in this.
Hallyu is playing a huge part in drawing tourists to South Korea. It is estimated that about 35% of the tourists that visited South Korea in 2023 came for K-Pop related reasons. Whether to see their favorite artists perform or just to be in the home nation of K-Pop. And South Korea has been making a concerted effort to include K-Pop in a lot of their tourism marketing. Their latest campaign titled ‘Feel The Rhythm Of Korea’ made in partnership with BTS highlighted all the wonders of the nation. From the culture and natural beauty, to the day to day activities that make South Korea so unique.
We can’t discuss South Korea without mentioning karaoke. Despite Japan being the nation that created karaoke, South Korea has embraced it and made it their own. Everywhere you go you will find hundreds of different karaoke rooms. And venues like You & Me Karaoke lean heavily into the growing popularity of K-Pop. As you can see by their customer reviews on https://mondesmediterraneens.org, many tourists frequent venues like this because of their huge selection of K-Pop tracks and ability to provide an authentic Korean karaoke experience.
Celebrity hunting has also become a huge draw for tourists. As South Korean actors and musicians dominate the entertainment landscape it is only natural that people would jump at the chance to meet them in real life. And the nightclubs and bars in Seoul are often packed out with celebrities. This has greatly increased the party tourism to South Korea.
