K-content Leads Foreigners to Local Travel in Korea

Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' (hereinafter 'K-Deheon') is rapidly emerging as a new driving force for Korean cultural experience tourism, forming a new tourism trend that encourages actual visits to Korea. Analysis of data from Creatrip, a domestic inbound tourism platform, for one month after 'K-Deheon' was released (6/20~7/19), showed a significant overall increase in foreign tourists' booking numbers and transaction volume compared to the same period last month. Korean elements appearing in 'K-Deheon,' such as wearing Hanbok and using public baths, have explosively increased foreign tourists' demand for K-culture experience products. Specifically, transaction volume for 'Hanbok experience' increased by 30% compared to the previous month, and the number of Hanbok experience bookings by Taiwanese tourists surged by an astonishing 433%. 'Sesin' (body scrubbing), which was unfamiliar to foreigners, also emerged as a popular tourism product after content exposure, with public bath sesin experience transaction volume increasing by 84% compared to the previous month, proving global interest in Korea's unique way of fatigue relief. This is an attempt to directly experience the 'Koreanness' within the content, demonstrating a practical impact on shaping foreign tourists' travel itineraries in Korea. Korean food consumption scenes in 'K-Deheon,' such as Kimbap, Ramyeon, Sundae, and Gukbap, amplified foreign tourists' interest in K-Food. Korean food transaction volume for Singaporean tourists surged by 157% compared to the previous month, and for American tourists by 61%, showing remarkable growth in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Americas regions. Specifically, transaction volume for Samgyetang rose by 233%, Jjimdak by 162%, and Ganjang Gejang by 18%, and visits to butcher restaurants and galbi specialty restaurants also increased, recording more than four times the transaction volume. This suggests that K-Food has firmly established itself as an empathy-based cultural experience for foreign tourists, going beyond simple meals to serve as a medium for understanding Korean culture and emotional exchange. 'K-Deheon,' based on a K-Pop worldview, strongly stimulated overseas fans' motivation to visit Korea. Concert shuttle booking transaction volume for foreign tourists using Creatrip increased by 133% compared to the previous month, and the number of bookings by Taiwanese tourists surged by an astounding 1,400%. The number of K-Pop dance class bookings also rose, with American tourists increasing by 400% and Taiwanese tourists by 575%, reflecting fans' eagerness for direct K-Pop cultural experiences. Furthermore, experiential programs that allow fans to style themselves like K-Pop idols, such as personal color diagnosis and styling photoshoots, have become essential courses for foreign fans traveling to Korea and are rapidly spreading through social media. This clearly proves that K-Pop is expanding beyond simple music appreciation into fan-participatory content.