"Not Just Olive Young"... Word-of-Mouth Drives Foreigners to Pharmacies, Spending Surges 156%

Surge in Foreign Tourists Visiting Pharmacies During Golden Week and Labor Day Holidays

Changing Shopping Destinations for Foreign Visitors

Shift from Cosmetics to Broader Health and Beauty Products

It has been found that spending by foreign tourists at pharmacies in Korea has surged. Pharmacies are now joining the ranks of must-visit shopping destinations for foreign tourists, alongside Olive Young, Daiso, and Musinsa, collectively referred to as "Oldamu."

Myeongdong Street, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to an analysis of payment data from Wowpass, a foreigner-exclusive payment platform operated by Orange Square, total card spending during the recent extended holiday period from April 29 to May 6 increased by approximately 18% compared to the previous year. In Japan, April 29 to May 6 is Golden Week, and in Greater China, May 1 to 5 is the Labor Day holiday period.

"Korean Cosmetics Are Great"... Pharmacies Become New Shopping Destinations Thanks to SNS Buzz

In particular, pharmacy spending showed the highest growth, increasing by 156% year-over-year. This surge is attributed to the growing popularity of products such as acne treatments, hangover remedies, and functional cosmetics sold in Korean pharmacies, which have become widely known among foreign tourists through social networking services (SNS). In fact, large-scale pharmacies targeting foreign customers are increasingly opening in areas such as Myeongdong and Gangnam in Seoul.

The pharmacy spending growth rate was 188% in 2024 and 156% last year, marking triple-digit growth for three consecutive years. The average transaction amount per purchase was about 47,000 won. The data indicates a spending pattern where customers make multiple purchases of relatively low-priced products, mainly health supplements and quasi-drugs. The main areas for pharmacy spending were tourist hotspots frequented by foreigners, including Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam, and Seongsu in Seoul.

Orange Square explained, "As foreign tourists' shopping interests expand from mainly cosmetics to the broader health and beauty sector, pharmacies are emerging as new shopping destinations." Spending at dermatology clinics also increased by 29% compared to the previous year.

Tourists visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul last April. Photo by Yonhap News

Increase in Repeat Visits and Regional Travel by Foreign Tourists

The number of foreign tourists making repeat visits to Korea has also risen. The number of repeat users reusing previously issued Wowpass cards increased by 44% compared to last year, and this year, for the first time, the proportion of repeat users surpassed that of new users.

There is also a growing trend of foreign tourists visiting regional destinations beyond Seoul. During the holiday period, 38% of card transactions in Busan and 40% in Jeju were made with cards that had no prior transaction record in Seoul, indicating a rise in direct travel to regional areas by foreign tourists.

Orange Square stated, "There is a clear trend of foreign tourists choosing regional cities such as Busan and Jeju, in addition to Seoul, as their travel destinations. We plan to strengthen our payment infrastructure and services to accommodate the expanding regional spending among foreign tourists."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.