Survey: 75% of South Korea visitors cite K-culture as key reason for trip

Airbnb Korea Country Manager Seo Ga-yeon speaks at a media briefing titled 'K-culture becomes the start of travel' in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on April 28. — Airbnb Korea Country Manager Seo Ga-yeon speaks at a media briefing titled “K-culture becomes the start of travel” in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on April 28. [Photo by Kang Sang-heon]

K-culture is emerging as a major driver of South Korea’s tourism growth, with foreign visitors drawn by Korean music, TV and other cultural content staying longer and spending more than other travelers, according to an Airbnb global survey report.

Airbnb released the findings at a media briefing on April 28 in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. The survey covered 4,500 travelers in the Asia-Pacific region and the United States who have visited South Korea or plan to visit.

In the survey, 94% said K-culture influenced their interest in traveling to South Korea, and 75% cited it as a core reason for visiting. Those travelers spent an average of $435 more per person than travelers visiting for other reasons. In addition, 88% said they stayed, or plan to stay, at least three nights, and 68% said they tend to travel with friends or family.

Sharon Chan, Airbnb’s head of communications for Asia-Pacific, said K-culture has become “a powerful magnet and engine” drawing travelers to South Korea. She said K-culture fans are not just consuming content but want to immerse themselves in everyday life and experience local culture firsthand.

Airbnb will operate a large pop-up in Seongsu-dong from May 1 to 7 in collaboration with the group Cortis. [Photo by Kang Sang-heon]

Airbnb said it is expanding hands-on offerings to turn that interest into real travel experiences. It will run a large pop-up in Seongsu-dong from May 1 to 7 in collaboration with the group Cortis. The “Airbnb Originals” experience is designed to reflect the artists’ personalities in the space and enable deeper interaction with fans.

The company has pursued similar K-pop-linked stays and experiences in recent years, including accommodations tied to 2022’s “In the SOOP BTS ver. Season 2,” a 2024 stay recreating a space from Seventeen’s music video, and a 2025 experience marking a 10th debut anniversary. It has also offered immersive content by turning well-known landmarks into places to stay, including “Sky Suite, Hangang Bridge, Seoul,” and an overnight event at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP).

Still, industry concerns remain that K-culture’s tourism spillover beyond Seoul will require addressing chronic lodging shortages in regional areas. In the survey, 83% of potential travelers said the availability of suitable accommodations outside major cities was an important factor in booking decisions.

Among potential MZ-generation travelers who are driving K-culture trips, 53% said lodging availability, including shared accommodations, was a key factor in whether they would visit South Korea. Another 34% said they would delay or reconsider a trip if they could not find suitable lodging.

Seo Ga-yeon, Airbnb Korea country manager, said the company’s goal is to help ensure strong interest in K-culture spreads nationwide and leads to “a complete trip” with deeper cultural engagement. She said Airbnb would actively cooperate on expanding lodging infrastructure and improving systems, including reforms to the foreign tourist city homestay business framework, and contribute in practical terms to achieving an era of 30 million foreign visitors.

* This article has been translated by AI.

Kang Sang Heon