K-Food is increasingly prominent in the shopping carts of foreign tourists visiting South Korea. Once dominated by cosmetics and luxury goods, shopping lists now prominently feature everyday items like ramen, seaweed, snacks, and beverages. In the first half of this year, the number of foreign tourists reached 10.71 million, with tourism spending exceeding 10 trillion won, establishing K-Food as a central component of tourism consumption.
According to the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, 80.1% of foreign tourists engaged in shopping during their travels in the second quarter of this year. Culinary tourism followed closely at 79.2%, while sightseeing accounted for 57.2%. Among the items purchased by foreign tourists, food items made up 56.9%, ranking second after perfumes and cosmetics at 75.3%, and surpassing clothing at 49.1%. Notably, the food purchase rate increased by 2.9 percentage points from 54.0% in the second quarter of last year, indicating a shift in shopping demand from cosmetics to products that South Koreans consume daily.
The number of foreign tourists is also growing rapidly. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, 10,709,919 foreign tourists visited South Korea from January to June this year, marking a 21.3% increase compared to the same period last year. This figure is 26.9% higher than the first half of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Food Purchases Surpass Cosmetics; Shopping Shifts to Supermarkets and Convenience Stores
The shopping venues for foreign tourists are expanding to everyday retail channels such as large shopping malls and convenience stores. In the second quarter of this year, the usage rate of large shopping malls among foreign tourists rose to 40.7%, up from 38.4% during the same period last year, an increase of 2.3 percentage points. The usage rate of convenience stores also increased from 20.4% to 24.8%, a rise of 4.4 percentage points.
This trend is reflected in actual purchasing data. A report by Lotte Members analyzing the consumption patterns of foreign tourists from April 2025 to May 2026 found that the top-selling product among foreign customers at Lotte Mart's Zeta Plex Seoul Station was 'Paldo & Yangban Seaweed Soup Ramen.' Other popular items included Lotte Wellfood's 'Zero Fruit Jelly,' 'Zero Crunch Chocolate Balls,' and 'Zero Cocoa Cake.' Tourists are purchasing not only well-known products but also foods they encounter for the first time during their travels in South Korea.
Regional consumption patterns also highlight a clear preference for K-Food. Among foreign tourists using Lotte Department Store and Lotte Mart in Busan, more than half were from Taiwan. Taiwanese tourists' purchasing rates were 81% for snacks, 69% for packaged ramen, and 61% for processed seaweed products.
The interest of tourists aligns with growth in the actual export market. In the first half of this year, agricultural and food exports reached $5.3819 billion, a 5.0% increase from the previous year, marking the highest level ever. By region, exports increased by 25.2% to the Middle East, 19.5% to Latin America, 17.9% to Europe, and 11.0% to North America, with ramen, snacks, and beverages leading the growth.
The government is also linking the popularity of K-Food to regional tourism. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to operate a 'K-Gourmet Belt' starting in 2024, featuring traditional foods like sauces, kimchi, ginseng, and traditional liquor as regional tourism resources. This year, they added a 'K-Chicken Belt' connecting chicken dishes such as fried chicken, samgyetang, and dakgangjeong to local attractions. In June, a map was released that combines chicken dishes, traditional liquor, and tourist sites nationwide.
An industry insider noted, "The interest of foreign tourists is rapidly expanding from famous representative products to foods that Korean consumers actually enjoy. The purchasing experience in South Korea can lead to repurchases and local demand after returning home, making inbound tourists an important touchpoint for the food industry."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.