Quirky stationery, red ginseng: What tourists in South Korea are buying these days

Sign up now: Get insights on Asias fast-moving developments

Numbers indicate a clear shift away from big-ticket splurges and toward frequent purchases of affordable items.

PHOTO: REUTERS

SEOUL - What are tourists in South Korea spending their money on right now? The answer might surprise you – and it probably fits in a tote bag.

Gone are the days when foreign visitors lined up at luxury boutiques and high-end department stores hunting for duty-free bargains.

According to a new report from the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO),a government affiliate responsible for promoting and developing the country’s tourism industry, tourists are now spending less per purchase but buying far more often, showing a shift toward practical, experience-driven consumption.

The analysis, based on credit card transaction data gathered through KTO’s tourism data platform from 2018 to September 2025, found that per-transaction spending dropped from 150,000 won (S$130) in 2019 to 120,000 won (S$104) in 2025.

Yet total spending per visitor surged 83 per cent over the same period, driven by a 124 per cent jump in purchase frequency.

These numbers indicate a clear shift away from big-ticket splurges toward frequent purchases of affordable, everyday items that reflect local lifestyle trends.

So-called K-lifestyle goods – quirky stationery, character merchandise and accessories with a distinctly Korean vibe – are leading the charge.

The number of transactions at gacha shops, or arcades with claw machines and capsule toy dispensers, soared 142 per cent in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Stationery stores and bookshops followed suit, posting gains of 48.7 per cent and nearly 40 per cent,