Seoul ranked fourth among Asia's most revisited travel destinations as foreign arrivals to South Korea surged on the strength of Korean pop culture. New slang terms such as "Seoul fever" and "Busan fever" — describing travelers who miss the two cities after returning home — have emerged, signaling that Korean tourism is moving beyond one-time visits toward repeat demand.
Record 10.71 Million Arrivals in First Half; Seoul No. 4 for Repeat Visits
Foreign tourists visiting South Korea in the first half of this year totaled 10.71 million, up 21.3% from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. That is the highest half-year figure on record, with 1,993,128 arrivals in June alone.
Spending rose along with visitor numbers. Foreign credit card tourism spending reached 10.04 trillion won in the first half, up 50.8% from 6.66 trillion won a year earlier. Last year, cumulative spending did not pass 10 trillion won until September, but this year it cleared that mark within the first half, roughly three months ahead of schedule.
Demand from travelers returning for a second visit was also notable. Travel platform Agoda said on the 8th that its analysis of first-half booking data placed Seoul fourth among Asia's top repeat travel destinations.
Tokyo took first place, overtaking Bangkok, which led last year. Bangkok and Bali, Indonesia, ranked second and third. Following Seoul in the top 10 were Osaka, Japan; Da Nang, Vietnam; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Fukuoka, Japan; Taipei, Taiwan; and Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
"I Went Home and Already Want to Go Back": The Rise of "Seoul Fever"
Seoul's strong repeat demand is attributed to the breadth of what the city offers, from Korean content and festivals to food, beauty and wellness, and shopping. Convenient public transportation, public safety and around-the-clock convenience stores are also cited as urban infrastructure that lifts satisfaction among foreign visitors.
More recently, the term "Seoul fever" has emerged to describe the state of missing Seoul after a trip ends and wanting to return. It spread in particular after Chinese visitors who had traveled to Seoul for K-pop concerts posted on social media after going home that their "Seoul fever has flared up again." Interest in K-pop and Korean culture more broadly, combined with the everyday convenience they experienced in the city, is translating into a desire to come back.
A similar coinage, "Busan fever," is also in use, referring to travelers who keep thinking about their time in Busan after a trip ends and want to visit again.
Busan's repeat-visit ranking has indeed climbed. In the Agoda survey, Busan ranked second among domestic repeat destinations and rose four places in the broader Asia ranking, to 21st this year from 25th last year. Foreign tourists visiting Busan in July topped 500,000 for the first time in a single month, a record high, according to the Busan Tourism Organization.
Foreign travel is also spreading to other regions. Arrivals through regional airports including Gimhae, Daegu, Jeju and Cheongju totaled 395,246 in June, up 42.5% from a year earlier, the culture ministry said. That is more than double the 18.2% growth rate at airports serving Seoul and the surrounding region. The share of foreign visitors traveling outside Seoul and the capital region in the second quarter reached 34.2%, up 2.8 percentage points from a year earlier.
Tourism Balance Posts Fourth Straight Monthly Surplus as Satisfaction Rises
Rising arrivals, spending and repeat visits are improving the tourism balance quickly. Tourism receipts in the first half came to $13.61 billion, up 36.4% from a year earlier, according to an analysis of South Korea's inbound and outbound tourism in the first half of 2026 released by Yanolja Research on the 7th of last month.
Spending per visitor rose 12.4% from a year earlier to $1,270.40, also 3.7% higher than in 2019. Not only did visitor numbers grow, but so did the amount each person spent in the country.
The overall tourism balance for the first half was a deficit of $1.26 billion, but on a monthly basis it turned positive in March and stayed in surplus for four straight months through June. Tourism receipts rose 36.4% from a year earlier while Korean residents' spending on overseas travel fell 3.5%.
Traveler satisfaction also improved. Preliminary results from the culture ministry's second-quarter 2026 survey of foreign visitors put satisfaction with trips to South Korea at 90.5 points, up 0.7 point from 89.8 a year earlier.
